Sandra Bullock was the 'best of caretakers' to her late partner Bryan Randall before his death, says the actor's sister

• Sandra Bullock's sister has praised the "amazing" way she cared for her partner before his death.
• The actor's boyfriend of eight years, Bryan Randall, died on Saturday at the age of 57.

Sandra Bullock's sister has praised the Oscar-winning star for the "amazing" way she cared for her partner, Bryan Randall, before his death.

Randall's family told Insider in a statement on Monday that he had died over the weekend, three years after being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

In an Instagram post shared late on Monday, Bullock's sister, Gesine Bullock-Prado, shared an insight into how the "Gravity" star cared for her partner of eight years at the home they shared.

Alongside a photo of Randall smiling at the camera while holding a cigar, Bullock-Prado wrote: "I'm convinced that Bry has found the best fishing spot in heaven and is already casting his lure into rushing rivers teaming with salmon."

She continued: "ALS is a cruel disease but there is some comfort in knowing he had the best of caretakers in my amazing sister and the band of nurses she assembled who helped her look after him in their home."

"Rest in peace, Bryan," she ended the post. "In lieu of flowers, please donate to ALS Association and Massachusetts General Hospital."

Bullock, 59, met Bryan when he took pictures at her son Louis' birthday back in January 2015, according to People.

Their relationship was made public later that year after they attended Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux's wedding together.

Randall's family announced the news of the model-turned-photographer's death on Monday.

In a statement provided to Insider, the family said Randall "chose early to keep his journey with ALS private," adding: "Those of us who cared for him did our best to honor his request."

The statement continued: "We are immensely grateful to the tireless doctors who navigated the landscape of this illness with us and to the astounding nurses who became our roommates, often sacrificing their own families to be with ours."

"At this time we ask for privacy to grieve and to come to terms with the impossibility of saying goodbye to Bryan."

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, is a disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord, making movements like walking, talking, and even swallowing and breathing become more difficult over time.

Often called Lou Gehrig's disease, in honor of the New York Yankee who died of ALS at age 37 in 1941, the condition usually begins with some muscle weakness, twitching in the hands or feet, or slurred speech.

On average, people live two to three years after their diagnosis, though there are outliers, like Stephen Hawking, who live for decades with ALS.

Scientists don't fully understand what causes ALS, though roughly 5-10% of cases are believed to be genetic. There is no cure for the disease, though there are a few FDA-approved drugs that can slow its progression.