Chris Kirkpatrick is in awe that his former ‘NSync bandmate Justin Timberlake performed a full tour amid a battle with Lyme disease.
“I’ve always known my little bro was tough — but this tour showed me a whole new level of strength,” Kirkpatrick, 53, wrote via Instagram on Thursday, July 31. “Watching him battle Lyme disease day in and day out, while still getting on that stage night after night, was something I’ll never forget.”
He added, “The long days, the travel, the exhaustion — and yet, he never gave up. No complaints, no excuses — just heart, grit, and pure determination. That kind of resilience is rare.”
Kirkpatrick further gushed that he “couldn’t be more proud to call” Timberlake, 44, his friend. (Timberlake and Kirkpatrick rose to fame in ‘90s boy band ‘NSync alongside Joey Fatone, JC Chasez and Lance Bass.)
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“Tour life is already a grind, but doing it while fighting Lyme disease? That’s superhero status,” Kirkpatrick concluded his statement. “Here’s to strength, perseverance and one hell of a tour. Love you, little bro!”
Timberlake, who replied to Kirkpatrick’s post with a trio of heart emojis, confirmed his diagnosis earlier on Thursday.
“As many of you know, I’m a pretty private person. But as I’m reflecting on the tour and festival tour — I want to tell you a little bit about what’s going on with me,” Timberlake wrote in a lengthy Instagram statement. “Among other things, I’ve been battling some health issues and was diagnosed with Lyme disease, which I don’t say so you feel bad for me, but to shed some light on what I’ve been up against behind the scenes.”
Justin Timberlake Reveals He Was Diagnosed With Lyme Disease Amid Tour
He continued, “If you’ve experienced this disease or know someone who has — then you’re aware: living with this can be relentlessly debilitating, both mentally and physically. When I first got the diagnosis, I was shocked for sure. But, at least I could understand why I would be onstage and in a massive amount of nerve pain or just feeling crazy fatigue or sickness.”
After debating whether to cancel the remainder of his world tour or persevere with the planned shows, Timberlake opted to “keep going and figure it out.”
“I decided the joy that performing brings me far outweighs the fleeting stress my body was feeling. I’m so glad I kept going,” he said. “Not only did I prove my mental tenacity to myself, but I now have so many special moments with all of you that I will never forget. I was reluctant to talk about this because I was always raised to keep something like this to [myself]. I am trying to be more transparent about my struggles so that they aren’t misinterpreted.”
