Sandra Bullock‘s longtime partner, Bryan Randall, passed away on Saturday (August 5) following a three-year struggle with ALS, his family confirmed to Fox News. He was just 57.

In a statement, his family expressed their sorrow, saying: “With deep sadness, we announce that Bryan Randall peacefully departed on August 5th, concluding a valiant 3-year battle against ALS.”

The family continued: “Bryan made the deliberate choice to keep his fight with ALS private, and those of us who cared for him diligently respected his wish.”

The statement went on: “We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the unwavering medical professionals who guided us through the complexities of this ailment, and to the exceptional nurses who became an integral part of our lives, often putting their own families aside to stand by ours. During this period, we kindly ask for privacy as we mourn and attempt to come to grips with the painful reality of bidding farewell to Bryan.”

Signed off simply with “His Loving Family,” Randall’s loved ones advised against sending flowers or presents, instead asking for well-wishers to consider contributing to ALS Research and Massachusetts General Hospital in his memory.

ALS – or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis – is a neurogenerative disorder that can severely impact the nerve cells in the spinal cord and the brain, according to the Mayo Clinic. It progressively gets worse and causes significant muscle control loss in people who have it.

Sadly, there is no cure yet, and the disease is fatal.

Bullock and Randall, a photographer, began dating in 2015, several months after he was hired to photograph her son Louis’ birthday celebration.