TLC Star Jenny Slatten has always been one of the most beloved figures in the “90 Day Fiancé” universe. On Tuesday, the 68-year-old and her husband, Sumit Singh, shared news with People magazine that stopped fans in their tracks — Jenny has been diagnosed with ALS.
The couple, who live in India and have been franchise favorites since their first appearance on “The Other Way” in 2019, spoke about the diagnosis with People ahead of their return to television on season 3 of “90 Day: The Last Resort,” premiering June 1 on TLC.
Sumit, 38, was by Jenny’s side throughout the conversation. Neither of them looked away from what lay ahead. “We’re doing what we can,” Jenny said.
What Is ALS? Understanding the Disease Jenny Slatten Has Been Diagnosed With
As per Mayo Clinic, ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a fatal and progressive neurodegenerative disease that attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.
Also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, it gradually strips away muscle function, leading to weakness, loss of mobility, and eventually the ability to speak. Sadly, there is still no known cure for ALS.
Jenny’s first symptom appeared in December 2024. She choked badly while drinking water, a moment that caught both her and Sumit off guard. Migraines came next, followed by increasing difficulty swallowing pills. The couple assumed it was an infection and sought treatment. Medication helped for a time. Then Jenny’s speech slowed, and the relief faded with it.
Jenny started pulling back from conversations. Some days she refused to speak at all. “That’s when we knew something was wrong,” she recalled.
How Jenny Slatten and Sumit Singh Discovered the ALS Diagnosis
TLCThe turning point arrived in December 2025. People reported that Jenny flew to New York City for a “90 Day Fiancé” holiday gathering, and something was different.
Fans watching her speak in interviews picked up on it immediately. Her speech had slowed. Comments and messages began pouring in from worried viewers.
Sumit had a simpler explanation at the time. Long flights. Late nights. The exhaustion of travel. “I was thinking that maybe Jenny didn’t even sleep,” he said.
Then one comment gave him pause. A viewer watching the same video raised the possibility of ALS.
Sumit typed the word into a search engine and read everything he could find. “And then I find out that these symptoms she was having, this is what it looks like,” he said.
In that same moment, something else surfaced, a memory neither of them had revisited in years. Jenny’s father had passed away from ALS more than a decade earlier.
They returned to India and went straight to work finding answers. The first neurologist suggested a small clot in the brain.
For a brief moment, that felt like something they could deal with. The second doctor saw things differently.
Jenny had ALS. “We cried and held each other,” she said, recalling the moment the diagnosis was confirmed. Both she and Sumit described feeling genuinely “scared” about what the future might hold.
Jenny Slatten’s ALS Prognosis and What Comes Next
Not all of the news has been devastating.
Doctors have told Jenny and Sumit that her ALS is progressing slowly. For Sumit, that update has been something to hold onto amid the uncertainty of the months ahead.
Jenny is now undergoing genetic testing to find out whether she carries the ALS gene. A positive result could open the door to a medication designed to further slow the disease.
She has also been spending time in online communities focused on ALS research and patient support, learning everything she can about current treatments and what may be coming down the line.
“Right now we’re just looking and searching,” she told People.
By sharing her story publicly, Jenny hopes to open a door she might not be able to open on her own. “Maybe somebody will come forward with something,” she said, expressing hope that visibility could lead to new options or connections that might help her.
For now, the couple remains in India and is choosing to face each day on their own terms.
“I don’t want to be treated any different,” Jenny said firmly. “Let’s just live our life as we have been while we can.”
Sumit Singh on Love, Strength, and Standing by Jenny Through It All
If there is one thing this diagnosis has done, it has deepened an already profound bond.
Sumit spoke with quiet conviction about what the past several months have taught him about love and about himself. “Honestly, I never felt this much love, or I can love anyone this much,” he told People.
“I used to live for myself. But from the last so many years, I feel like doing things for someone who you love gives you happiness. I think that’s what love is. And that’s why we do things for each other, and that’s what make each other happy.”
Jenny, sitting beside him, offered the simplest summary of all.
“And we’re happy that we’re together,” she said.
Slatten’s heartbreaking news sadly comes just months after “Grey’s Anatomy” star Eric Dane, who also battled ALS, passed away earlier this year.
Jenny and Sumit will appear on “90 Day: The Last Resort” season 3, premiering June 1 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on TLC.
