JD Scott’s Harrowing Health Battle: How a Mystery Illness and Near-Death Experience Transformed the Property Brothers Star’s Life

For over a year, JD Scott, the beloved older brother of Property Brothers stars Jonathan and Drew Scott, silently battled a terrifying and enigmatic illness that pushed him to the brink. In an exclusive interview with HollywoodLife, Scott, 43, opens up about the “difficult” struggle that saw him confront extreme symptoms, grapple with a mysterious diagnosis, and ultimately, face the sobering reality of nearly “dying.” This profound experience, he reveals, has irrevocably reshaped his perspective, making him reevaluate what truly matters in life and ushering in a new, profound outlook.

The ordeal came to light on July 8 in a candid Instagram video, where JD shared the harrowing details of his 14-month battle. He described a constellation of bewildering symptoms, including debilitating heat sensitivity, an unsettling “crawling” sensation on his skull, and moments of such intense distress that he genuinely feared for his life. While now on the mend, Scott delves deeper with HollywoodLife, providing an intimate account of his painful journey, the exact nature of his symptoms, and the specific steps he’s taken towards recovery. He also explains the crucial decision he and his fiancée, Annalee Belle, made to go public with his health struggles just before the July 11 airing of Property Brothers: Forever Home, an episode particularly poignant as it featured his brothers building their “forever home” in Las Vegas.

A Mysterious Onset: The First Alarms

The initial signs of trouble for JD Scott emerged in June of last year, a period he now looks back on with stark clarity. He had just returned from his brother Drew’s wedding, an event that, in retrospect, marked the beginning of his health decline. “I had some difficulties there with heat and getting tired with it,” Scott recounted, describing symptoms that, at the time, seemed almost insignificant, easy to “shrug off.” He couldn’t have known that these mild discomforts were merely the precursors to a prolonged and terrifying ordeal.

Upon his return to Las Vegas, with Annalee out of town, a particularly harrowing night solidified his fears. “I had this one night where suddenly, I felt like I was having a heart attack to start with,” he revealed, the memory still vivid. Coupled with this frightening episode was an alarming escalation in his heat sensitivity, which had become “really, really bad” in the days prior. The severity of these symptoms compelled him to seek immediate medical attention, fearing the worst. “So, I ended up going to the hospital because I thought my heart was having issues.” While initial tests fortunately confirmed his heart was fine, these alarming incidents were, as doctors would eventually discover, crucial indicators of a larger, systemic issue at play, initiating a complex and frustrating diagnostic process.

Unveiling the Symptoms: A Laundry List of Distress

The journey to understanding what was wrong was anything but straightforward. JD Scott endured a bewildering array of symptoms that collectively painted a picture of profound physical and cognitive distress. “It’s a laundry list of them,” he candidly stated, detailing the debilitating effects that fundamentally altered his daily existence. One of the most pervasive and insidious symptoms was what he described as “brain fog.” This wasn’t merely a fleeting moment of confusion; it was a constant, heavy cloud. “Very foggy, almost dizzy feeling all of the time. There’s a blanket over your brain,” he explained, illustrating the persistent mental haze that made clear thought and concentration a struggle.

However, the most severe and impactful symptom was his extreme heat sensitivity. This wasn’t just discomfort; it was a profound physical reaction that incapacitated him. “The heat sensitivity is the biggest one, anything over 69 or 70 degrees would put me into almost a comatose state for a couple of days.” This meant carefully controlling his environment, limiting his outdoor activities, and essentially becoming confined to spaces with precise temperature regulation. The initial heart-related issues, though terrifying, eventually subsided, leaving him wondering about their transient nature. Beyond these, an overwhelming and persistent fatigue became his constant companion. “I couldn’t really do anything — Even walking for too far caused me extreme fatigue.” This crushing exhaustion meant that even simple tasks became monumental challenges, further contributing to his isolation. “It’s one of the reasons why I’ve been kind of trapped in my house or my office is because I can’t go anywhere without suffering these terrible symptoms.” This continuous onslaught of symptoms, present “all day every day,” underscores the immense physical and mental toll the mystery illness exerted on JD Scott.

Despite the ongoing battle, Scott expressed cautious optimism, crediting recent treatments for providing significant relief. “I’m pretty good right now. The treatment I’ve been getting has been helping a lot,” he shared. His current ability to function depends heavily on maintaining a carefully controlled environment. “As long as I’m in a controlled environment, I’m OK. As long as the heat doesn’t go over a certain temperature or I’m not doing too much work during the day.” This delicate balance highlights the continuous effort required to manage his condition, even as he experiences improvements.

The Arduous Quest for Answers: A Medical Odyssey

For months, JD Scott embarked on an exhausting and often disheartening quest for a diagnosis. His journey took him through the offices of numerous specialists, each offering a piece of the puzzle but none providing a complete picture. “I had been to all these specialists — Neurologists, Rheumatologists in the last year,” he recounted, detailing the extensive medical evaluations he underwent. Despite countless tests and consultations, the answers remained elusive, leaving him and Annalee in a state of growing frustration and despair. The emotional toll of enduring debilitating symptoms without a clear explanation can be immense, and Scott openly shared the struggle of maintaining a semblance of normalcy. “All through that, I was maintaining this air of ‘Everything was fine’ from outward appearances because business has to go on as usual. I hadn’t told fans anything.” This silent suffering, while trying to uphold professional commitments, only amplified the personal burden.

A Turning Point: The Functional Medicine Approach

The breakthrough in JD Scott’s arduous diagnostic journey came from an unexpected direction: a functional doctor. This encounter, facilitated through his work on a TV series, marked a pivotal shift in his treatment approach. “Finally, I saw this functional doctor and I met him through the TV series that we do and he wanted to tackle it from a different perspective,” Scott explained. Unlike the traditional specialists who often focus on individual symptoms or body systems, a functional medicine practitioner looks at the body as an interconnected whole, aiming to identify and address the root causes of disease.

This holistic approach proved to be precisely what Scott needed. The functional doctor ran a series of comprehensive tests, delving deeper than previous medical examinations. “He ran all these different tests on me and he actually found something that none of the others found.” The revelation was significant: “It was a pretty severe infection in my gut, my GI track.” Beyond the infection, the doctor also uncovered critical nutritional imbalances and sensitivities. “He also found that there was a lot of — I was missing certain things from my diet and I had other foods I was eating that I was extremely sensitive to.” This dual discovery—a severe gut infection coupled with specific dietary sensitivities—provided the crucial missing pieces to Scott’s complex health puzzle. The doctor posited that “the combination of these things were causing the overall symptoms that I was experiencing.” This comprehensive understanding finally offered a concrete path forward for treatment and recovery.

The Path to Healing: Rigorous Treatment and Dietary Changes

With a diagnosis finally in hand, JD Scott embarked on a rigorous treatment plan designed to tackle the root causes of his illness. The initial focus was on eradicating the gut infection. “He treated the infection first,” Scott confirmed, indicating a systematic approach to healing. Alongside addressing the infection, a dramatic overhaul of his diet became a cornerstone of his recovery. The functional doctor prescribed an extremely restrictive elimination diet, a challenging but necessary step to identify and remove inflammatory triggers.

Scott humorously described the strictness of this new regimen: “He put me on this diet where I could basically only eat air! It was a very restrictive, elimination diet.” This meant meticulously cutting out common allergens and inflammatory foods, a process that requires immense discipline and patience. When asked about the specific dietary changes, Scott listed the major culprits: “I’ve removed all gluten, dairy, sugar, and soy.” These four categories represent a significant portion of many people’s everyday diets, making the transition incredibly demanding. However, the dedication paid off. “I’ve gotten back a lot of the functionality that I hadn’t had in over a year,” he shared, highlighting the profound improvement in his quality of life. The success of this diet has been so impactful that he’s hesitant to reintroduce any of these foods. “I’m doing so well that I haven’t wanted to tinker with it yet.”

While the exact cause of the initial gut infection remains unknown, potentially having been present in his body for years without overt symptoms, the clear link between the infection, food sensitivities, and his debilitating symptoms has become undeniable. “Both,” Scott confirmed when asked if it was the infection or food causing his symptoms. “I was uncovering that I have a lot of high-level sensitivities to a lot of particular foods. One food is gluten, which I didn’t know that before, and it was causing my body to become very inflammatory.” This discovery underscores the intricate connection between gut health, diet, and systemic inflammation, offering valuable insights not just for Scott but for others grappling with similar unexplained health issues.

A Profound Transformation: A New Outlook on Life

The journey through a terrifying, undiagnosed illness and the very real prospect of death has fundamentally altered JD Scott’s perspective on life. This wasn’t merely a period of physical suffering, but a profound crucible that forged a new understanding of priorities and appreciation. “Yeah, it really puts things into perspective,” he reflected, acknowledging the transformative power of such an experience. “You think you’re dying, especially numerous times over the course of a year.” This repeated confrontation with mortality strips away superficial concerns, leaving only the essential. To finally emerge from such a dark period and begin to feel better is, as Scott describes it, “a new lease on life.”

This near-death experience instilled in him a heightened sense of gratitude and a reevaluation of what truly holds value. “Now I kind of have this new outlook,” he shared, implying a deeper appreciation for health, loved ones, and the simple joys of everyday existence. The constant battle forced him to slow down, listen to his body, and prioritize self-care in a way he never had before. It’s a powerful testament to the human spirit’s capacity for resilience and growth, even in the face of immense adversity. His newfound perspective emphasizes living fully, cherishing connections, and maintaining vigilance over his well-being, an invaluable lesson learned through hardship.

The Power of Support: Annalee Belle and the Scott Family

Throughout this challenging period, the unwavering support of his fiancée, Annalee Belle, and his brothers, Jonathan and Drew Scott, proved to be an indispensable lifeline. Annalee, in particular, was a constant source of strength and companionship, navigating the emotional and physical toll of JD’s illness right by his side. Their decision to openly share his health battle with the public, especially before the Property Brothers: Forever Home episode featuring their new Las Vegas house, was a testament to their transparency and courage. This reveal added a layer of profound meaning to the episode, allowing fans to understand the personal struggles they faced even as their dream home was being built. The ‘forever home’ became more than just a house; it symbolized a fresh start and a renewed hope for a healthier future after a period of immense uncertainty. The collective support from his family and fiancée undoubtedly played a crucial role in JD’s ability to persevere and ultimately, to heal.

Embracing the Future with Gratitude and Awareness

JD Scott’s journey from a terrifying, undiagnosed illness to a hopeful path of recovery is a powerful narrative of resilience, determination, and the profound impact of listening to one’s body. His experience serves as a vital reminder that conventional medical paths may not always hold all the answers, and sometimes, a different perspective, such as that offered by functional medicine, can be the key to unlocking true healing. His story underscores the intricate connection between gut health, diet, and overall well-being, highlighting how seemingly disparate symptoms can often be linked to underlying inflammatory processes or infections.

Now, with a clear diagnosis and an effective treatment plan, JD Scott is not just recovering; he is thriving with a renewed sense of purpose. The restrictive diet, while challenging, has brought him significant relief and restored functionality, prompting him to maintain these changes for continued health. His candidness about nearly “dying” and the subsequent transformation of his life’s outlook offers an inspiring message: to cherish every moment, prioritize health, and never take one’s well-being for granted. As he continues his journey, surrounded by the love and support of Annalee and his family, JD Scott stands as a testament to the strength of the human spirit in overcoming adversity and embracing a new, healthier chapter of life with gratitude and awareness.