Axelle/Bauer-Griffin / Contributor
Wendy Williams’ Son Kevin Says She Has Alcohol-Induced Dementia ‘Because She Was Drinking so Much’
Wendy Williams’ son, Kevin Hunter Jr., offered more insight into his mother’s frontotemporal dementia diagnosis in an interview from the Lifetime documentary Where Is Wendy Williams?
“[Doctors] basically said that because she was drinking so much, it was starting to affect her headspace and her brain,” Kevin, 23, explained during the Sunday, February 25, episode of the two-part series. “So, I think they said it was alcohol-induced dementia.”
Alcohol-related dementia, according to Healthline, is a “type of cognitive impairment that occurs as a result of heavy alcohol consumption over a long period.” Over time, alcohol use can cause brain damage that affects a person’s ability to do daily tasks, such as cooking and managing their finances, per the website.
The symptoms of ARD and age-related dementia are similar, and include problems with memory, concentration and emotional control.
A representative for the former talk show host addressed the years of public concern surrounding Wendy’s health in a lengthy February 22 statement ahead of the documentary’s release.
“Over the past few years, questions have been raised at times about Wendy’s ability to process information and many have speculated about Wendy’s condition, particularly when she began to lose words, act erratically at times, and have difficulty understanding financial transactions,” the statement read, in part.
The message revealed that Wendy, 59, had been diagnosed with both primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia in 2023. While dementia affects a person’s memory, aphasia impacts their ability to communicate. Both diagnoses “have already presented significant hurdles in Wendy’s life,” per the statement.
Wendy’s representative added that while the decision to share information about her diagnosis was “difficult,” they hoped to “advocate for understanding and compassion for Wendy” and raise awareness about her conditions.
Her diagnoses came two years after she left her daytime talk show in 2021 amid her battle with Graves’ disease, an autoimmune system disorder, and lymphedema, swelling due to a lymphatic system blockage.
Fans had long been concerned about Wendy’s health, particularly after one 2017 incident in which she fainted while wearing a Statue of Liberty costume during a live taping of one of her show’s Halloween episodes.
The Wendy Williams Show alum issued her own statement one day after her dementia and aphasia diagnoses were revealed, thanking fans for their “love and kind words” in the wake of the news.
“Let me say, wow! Your response has been overwhelming,” Wendy’s February 23 statement read, in part. “The messages shared with me have touched me, reminding me of the power of unity and the need for compassion.”
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