Wendy Williams Has What? This week’s Wendy Williams news is brutal. On Thursday, the television personality’s representatives announced she had been diagnosed in 2023 with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia.
If that sounds familiar, it’s because you might recall this is the same diagnosis actor Bruce Willis received recently. If it sounds scary, also true. According to the Cleveland Clinic, aphasia is a neurological condition that causes the loss of language skills. It is a form of dementia that could signal Alzheimer’s. Mayo Clinic says the form of dementia Williams has occurs when the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain atrophy—or shrink—leading to behavioral, personality or language changes. Aphasia is an early sign of frontotemporal dementia.
What makes Williams’ diagnosis slide from scary to outright terrifying is her age. How in the ham sammich does a 59-year-old have dementia? We learned this week that she stopped production of her show two years ago because that’s when she first started exhibiting signs of this disease.
Her diagnosis is traumatic for those of us trying to tell ourselves we’re safe from dementia because we’re much too young to get it. We’ve been misled. Young-onset (before age 65) dementia, particularly forms such as frontotemporal dementia, are more common in younger people, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
Terry Simpson, M.D., explains in a TikTok that the reasons someone develops dementia are complex. It could be caused by addictions; drug use or alcoholism increase the risk of dementia. Five years ago ET reported on Williams’ admission to her audience that she had entered a sober living facility to deal with prescription drugs and alcohol issues.
Dr. Simpson also lists depression as a possible cause. As recently as 2022, NBC News reported Williams was in a wellness facility to improve her mental health.
“It’s so hard seeing someone with a brilliant brain and that level of intelligence,” suffering in this way, he says, estimating she has a 12- to 13-year survival rate.
For those of us feeling a panicked because we’ve found ourselves searching for the right word lately, there is evidence that lifestyle changes can help us maintain brain health and reduce the risk of developing dementia, though there’s currently no cure for dementia. The Alzheimer’s Association suggests staying active, eating a healthy diet and exercising our mind by learning new skills.
So don’t be surprised if you see us this week eating apples and jogging while learning Korean.