Reality TV star reveals ‘diarrhea parasite’ nearly sent him to ER

Reality star Leroy Garrett opened up about a recent ailment he suffered involving cyclosporiasis, the parasitic diarrhea infection that’s been surging in the U.S. this summer.

The 41-year-old TV personality, who has been seen on shows such as The Real World: Las Vegas, took to Instagram Wednesday explaining how he was impacted after contracting the parasite.

‘This past weekend, I spent the majority of my time on my toilet because I contracted the parasite that’s going around infecting people’s intestines and making them have severe diarrhea,’ Garrett said.

The TV personality said his symptoms ‘got so bad’ he thought he might have to visit an emergency room amid the sickness, going to an urgent care instead.

‘They told me I had to give them a stool test first before they could prescribe me some medication,’ Garrett said. ‘Mind you, this is on Sunday that I went to the doctor and since the lab was closed, they sent me home with the stool test and said you had to bring it back the next day.’

The Daily Mail has reached out to representatives for Garrett for further comment on the story. 

Reality star Leroy Garrett, 41, opened up about a recent ailment he suffered involving the parasitic diarrhea infection that’s been surging in the U.S. this summer 

Garrett said that he felt like he didn’t have ‘another day to wait’ with a ‘hurting’ stomach.

How to avoid the ‘explosive parasite’… the riskiest foods and the ones that are safe to eat

The reality star continued, ‘Now, it says that the symptom for this parasite is explosive diarrhea – they’re not lying – explosive, vicious.

‘You’re on that toilet back and forth all day and night, waking up out of your sleep.’

Garrett compared the feeling to having Timberland shoes in a dryer inside your stomach.

‘You know what that would sound like?’ Garrett said. ‘That’s what your stomach sounds and feels like.’

He concluded in saying that the ‘parasite is real’ adding that he would hate to see a child or anyone catch it.

Garrett, in the caption of the post, said that he wasn’t clear on what he might have consumed that led him to fall ill.

‘I don’t know exactly when or what produce I consumed, I just know that I spent a romantic weekend with my toilet,’ Garrett said. ‘Not fun at all, be careful out there.

The reality star described the symptoms he experiences as ‘explosive’ and ‘vicious’

Garrett pictured at an event for Meet the Makers: The Challenge on May 7, 2025 in West Hollywood, California 

‘Thankfully I was able to get the proper medication to help kill off the infection.’

Garrett, who is father to two children with wife Kam Williams, is a resident of Michigan, where health officials are keeping tabs on more than 4,312 cases as of Thursday, with more than 100 people hospitalized, according to the Health and Human Services department. 

According to the CDC, those ‘infected with Cyclospora may or may not experience symptoms’ as it impacts ‘the small intestine (bowel) and usually causes watery diarrhea with frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements.

‘If not treated, the illness may last from a few days to over a month. Symptoms may seem to go away and then return one or more times.’

The CDC noted that people suffering from the ailment can take antibiotics to treat it, and while it is not typically life-threatening, immunocompromised individuals might deal with the symptoms for a longer period. 

The primary source of the outbreak remains under review, according to the CDC.