“Family Matters” alum Jo Marie Payton revealed she experienced a serious health setback that left her unable to walk or talk.
In a video she posted on Facebook earlier this month, the 75-year-old actress shared a message with her fans asking them to continue praying for her.
Payton leaned on a walker while recording the video.
“Two months ago, I couldn’t walk. I couldn’t talk, at the start of this last year,” she said. “But I’m walking better than I thought I would walk, talking better than I thought I would talk.”
“I’m doing okay,” she continued. “Keep praying for me, I’ll be back.”
She captioned the video, “Thank You for all your prayers.. It’s been a long 5 months, stay with me. I’ll be back!”
“Slow and steady wins the race 
.”
Payton didn’t disclose what caused her to not be able to walk or talk.
The “Proud Family” alum also shared pics of her celebrating Easter with her family, in which she’s sitting in a wheelchair.
Prior to her health update, Payton’s last social media post was in October 2025, when she reunited with her “Family Matters” on-screen husband, Reginald VelJohnson, for the Halloween episode of “The Sherri Shepherd Show.”
Payton and VelJohnson, 73, played Harriette and Carl Winslow, respectively, on the beloved ’90s sitcom “Family Matters.”
The feel-good show — which also made a star out of actor Jaleel White, thanks to his performance as iconic nerd Steve Urkel — ran for nine seasons from 1989 to 1998.
In December 2025, Darius McCrary — who played Eddie Winslow on the show — made headlines after he was released from jail two months after he was arrested near the US-Mexico border for an outstanding warrant.
The 49-year-old actor, who is dad to three children, has had several run-ins with the law over child support.
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