The TV star received the sad diagnosis earlier this year
LAW & Order star Bret Shuford has posted a heartbreaking photo from his hospital bed amid his cancer battle.
The actor took to Instagram on Christmas Day to share a sweet message with his over 250k followers.
Bret, 46, smiled in a selfie alongside his husband, Stephen, while sitting up in bed with a nasal cannula in his nose.
He looked in good spirits, wearing a gray Looney Tunes graphic tee and a white hat with Mickey Mouse ears, smiling at the camera.
Stephen wore the same hat and a black t-shirt as he gathered in close for the photo op.
“Merry Christmas to all of you! We are so grateful for your love and support! Looking forward to a new year and hope to see you all soon. Sending love!” his caption read.
Fans shared kind and supportive words for the couple, known as Broadway Husbands on their joint account, in the comments.
“So many hugs and blessings for you guys. Keep the memories of the day in your hearts where they shall remain forever,” one person wrote.
“We love you and are pulling for you every day!” said another.
“Sending love through these tough days,” remarked a third.
Bret was diagnosed earlier this year with HLH & T-Cell Lymphoma, “a rare and life-threatening immune condition,” according to a GoFundMe created by a close family friend to help aid the TV star’s mounting medical bills.
It also noted that Bret’s illness forced him to step away from his graduate studies at the University of Central Florida at the same time that he and Stephen were settling into their new home in Orlando with their young son, Maverick.
“What should have been a season of new beginnings has instead turned into an unexpected battle for health and stability,” the post continued.
As of Friday evening, the page raised over $280,000 of its $300,000 fundraising goal.
Last month, the pair shared a video from last Christmas, which marked their first year as a family of three.
Bret held their son as he and Stephen danced in front of their brightly decorated Christmas tree, all of them wearing Santa hats.
“Flashback to our first Christmas dance as a family! Excited to all be together again for more holiday fun!” the caption sweetly read.
Bret has many small-screen film and TV credits, including a 2018 episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and a 2023 appearance on the cop drama series FBI: Most Wanted.
He also directed an episode of the Emmy Award-winning Hulu series Only Murders in the Building in 2023, according to his IMDb page.
Bret is also known for his acting and producing work on Disney Royals (2017), Disney Animazent Trio IRL (2017), and In Rehearsal with… Stranger Things the Musical (2017).
He and Stephen, who works at Walt Disney World, tied the knot in April 2011.
