Jim Curtis discussed his decades-long struggle with a debilitating medical condition during a rare public appearance with girlfriend Jennifer Aniston at The 92nd Street Y in New York City on Wednesday, September 2.
The 50-year-old author appeared on stage to promote his new book, The Book of Possibility, with Aniston, 57, conducting the interview. Curtis revealed that doctors discovered lesions on his spinal cord during his 20s, resulting in partial paralysis and chronic nerve damage that affects him to this day.
Curtis recalled the fear that gripped him after his initial diagnosis, describing how his entire body froze when he searched online for information about his condition. However, he emphasized that medical challenges need not define a person's identity or limit their potential.
"What I'm saying is you don't have to live as the victim. You don't have to live in your suffering. It can become your power. As soon as you accept it and love it [you can move beyond it]," Curtis said during the Wednesday evening event, according to Us Weekly.
The author addressed how his visible limp prompted frequent questions from acquaintances and strangers alike. For years, Curtis admitted he fabricated a story about a motorcycle accident rather than acknowledge his medical reality.
"I was so shameful that I had a medical condition. [I thought] I was broken in some way. I thought the motorcycle accident was at least a little macho. It was this identity of the 'macho, strong man' … it didn't come with the connotation and shame of, 'This can get worse,'" Curtis told Us Weekly during the event.
Curtis explained that overcoming such insecurities required cultivating self-acceptance and self-love, a process that unfolded over many years. He acknowledged that his journey toward acceptance could have progressed more quickly, noting that many people suffer unnecessarily because they lack guidance or inspiration for their next steps.
"That was an easy choice for me," Curtis said at the event, according to Us Weekly, referring to his decision to share his story publicly.
When Aniston asked what advice he would offer someone feeling trapped in life's daily grind, Curtis acknowledged the practical realities people face while encouraging them not to abandon their aspirations.
"That [acceptance] was 25 years in the making for me. There's a reality of life too. I always say we're a spirit having a human experience. We have to live the human experience," Curtis told Us Weekly during the interview.
He continued, according to Us Weekly: "You have rent to pay and medical bills to pay and kids to feed, all of your stuff. But I will say this: you don't have to let fear stop you from living your dream. You can manifest at any time by placing your focus on the outcomes that you want."
The Wednesday appearance offered a glimpse into the couple's relationship, which began in mid-2025. Curtis previously discussed their bond during the Monday, August 31, episode of The Jamie Kern Lima Show, revealing that meditation and open communication form the foundation of their partnership.
Curtis explained that different relationship tools prove beneficial at various stages, noting that he and Aniston have been together for a year and a half. When host Jamie Kern Lima asked whether meditation serves as their primary tool, Curtis confirmed that meditation, acceptance, and understanding take precedence, particularly during what he described as their honeymoon phase.
The couple made their romance Instagram official later in 2025, with Curtis posting a series of photos accompanied by the caption: "If this is a dream I don't want to wake up ❤️."
During a January appearance on the Today show, Curtis shared that their relationship began through mutual friends and developed gradually through extended conversations before they became close.
Aniston has also spoken publicly about the relationship. In a November 2025 interview with Elle, she described Curtis as quite extraordinary, noting their shared interest in wellness. She highlighted his work in hypnotism and characterized him as very special, very normal, and very kind.
The couple has integrated into Aniston's social circle, recently dining in Los Angeles with her former Friends costars Courteney Cox and Lisa Kudrow, along with longtime friend Jason Bateman.
Aniston was previously married to Brad Pitt from 2000 to 2005 and Justin Theroux from 2015 to 2018.
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Ava Hart
Ava Hart is a pop culture junkie and loves to share what's happening in Hollywood and what trends are taking the world by storm.
