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Actor Danny Glover revealed his Alzheimer’s diagnosis on Wednesday, saying in an interview with NBC’s “Today” show that he has been living with the disease for several years.
“I can live with it, in a sense,” said Glover, 79, in the interview. “I’m sure as it advances, things are going to be different and changing.”
The neurodegenerative disease has slowed Glover’s movement and affected his speech. But he told NBC’s Lester Holt that he’s able to lean on his family for support, saying, “They’ve got my back.”
Several of the Hollywood icon’s family members appeared with him in the interview, which was taped at his home. They said they hope that Glover sharing his story publicly will help challenge some of the stigma surrounding Alzheimer’s disease.
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A prolific actor with decades of credits, Glover achieved major fame starring opposite Mel Gibson in the blockbuster action franchise “Lethal Weapon,” while also appearing in critical hits like “The Color Purple” and “Mandela.” A multi-time Emmy and Grammy Awards nominee, Glover also received an honorary Academy Award in 2021, which recognized his social and political activism.
When Glover accepted the accolade, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, at the Oscars ceremony that year, the audience didn’t know he had already been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, the actor told “Today.”
Alzheimer’s disease, the most common cause of dementia according to the Alzheimer’s Association, leads to cognition and memory loss over a period of years. Increasing age is the greatest risk factor for developing the disease, with a majority of cases diagnosed at age 65 or older.
There is no cure for Alzheimer’s, but scientists continue working on research and have developed some treatments that may slow its decline.