Updated April 28, 2026, 12:16 p.m. ET
The family of an actor who appeared in ’90s cult classics such as “Menace II Society” and “The Player’s Club” confirmed he is hospitalized and on life support.
Samuel Monroe Jr., 52, has been battling meningitis for months, and the infection has now spread to his brain and spine, his family told multiple outlets, including Complex and Fox News.
“Around 18 months ago, Samuel was in Las Vegas filming, and unfortunately, that is where he contracted meningitis,” his wife, Shawna Stewart, told the outlets.
Stewart continued, “He went to several different hospitals, where his condition was repeatedly misdiagnosed, and because of this negligence, the meningitis went untreated for eight months.”
USA TODAY reached out to Stewart for more information on Tuesday, April 28.
‘Please pray for Samuel’
Stewart confirmed in multiple interviews that Monroe is on life support and that their family is asking for prayers.
According to the outlets, Monroe’s mother, Joyce Patton, has posted updates on her Facebook page about his condition.
“Please pray for Samuel Monroe Jr. my son who is now on life support,” she wrote in an emotional post on April 25.
“God don’t make no mistakes but he is gracious and I am humbly asking for his mercy and grace for Sam. I love you son… to the moon and back 100 times,” she said.
What is meningitis?
Meningitis is an infection that causes the thin layers of the meninges that surround the brain and spinal cord to become inflamed, Dr. Rodrigo Hasbun, an infectious diseases professor at the University of Texas McGovern Medical School, previously told USA TODAY.
He said there are several types of meningitis, including bacterial, viral, fungal, parasitic and non-infectious strains. Viral meningitis is the more common and less serious form of the disease; meanwhile, bacterial meningitis “accounts for the minority of meningitis cases but can be associated with severe neurological complications and even death,” according to Hasbun.
Roughly 600 – 1,000 people contract meningococcal disease in the United States each year, the National Meningitis Association states. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, meningococcal disease cases in the United States have increased sharply since 2021 and now exceed pre-pandemic levels. In 2024, 503 confirmed and probable cases were reported based on preliminary data, marking the largest numberof U.S. meningococcal disease cases reported since 2013, the health agency said.
Per the CDC, people disproportionately affectedby the recent increase in cases include:
- People between the ages of 30 and 60 years
- Black or African American people
- Adults with HIV
Contributing: Daryl Austin, USA TODAY
Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at tardrey@usatodayco.com.
