The battle of Wendy Williams with Graves' disease, FTD, and aphasia: from diagnosis to the present day
12 march 2025 в 04:13
Wendy Williams first announced her diagnosis of Graves' disease in 2018 and admitted at the time that she had not been taking care of her health when it happened. «We, as women, especially if we have families, we take care of the children, the house, the husbands, we take care of everyone except ourselves», - she said on Good Morning America at the time, according to PEOPLE.
Five years later, Wendy was diagnosed with «primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia (FTD)», - as confirmed by her medical team. Actor Bruce Willis also suffers from FTD.
Here is everything you need to know about Wendy Williams' battle with Graves' disease, FTD, and aphasia, starting from her initial diagnosis to how she is feeling today.
In February 2018, Wendy opened up an important discussion about Graves' disease. «My thyroid was totally out of whack, and that’s what you all saw in my eyes. You noticed it before I did», - she told her audience during her show, as reported by CBS News. She also explained that her hyperthyroidism is related to the diagnosis. «My thyroid, my hyperthyroidism is also connected to Graves' disease», - she explained. «Graves' disease squeezes the muscles behind the eyes, and that’s why», - she opened her eyes wide to explain what that means.
She also admitted that she had been instructed by her doctor to take a three-week break from her show. She had already missed one, noting that she felt like she had «birds flying around her head, like in a cartoon» before the diagnosis. «I'll be back in two weeks. I’m not an heiress», - she joked. «Who will pay my bills?»
In 2023, Wendy was officially diagnosed with FTD and aphasia, confirmed by her medical team the following year.
«On behalf of Wendy Williams Hunter, her care team shares this very personal update with her beloved fans, friends, and supporters to correct inaccurate and hurtful rumors about her health», - read a statement from Wendy’s team, as reported by TV Insider. «Wendy would not have received these diagnoses were it not for the diligence of her current care team, whom she chose, and the outstanding work of specialists at Weill Cornell Medical Center. Receiving the diagnosis has allowed Wendy to receive the necessary medical care».
The statement continued: «The decision to share this news was a difficult one and made after careful consideration, not only to protect Wendy’s understanding and compassion, but also to draw attention to aphasia and frontotemporal dementia and support the thousands of others facing similar circumstances. Unfortunately, many people diagnosed with aphasia and frontotemporal dementia face stigma and misunderstanding, especially when they begin to exhibit behavioral changes but have not yet received a diagnosis».
Wendy’s family told PEOPLE in an interview that they were not informed of her dementia diagnosis. Her sister Wanda Finnie said that the family was unaware of Wendy’s health condition since the fall of 2021, before she was placed under court guardianship. «When she was in Florida, there were a lot of people involved. Even beyond the family, there were doctors, people from Wendy’s professional world who were involved», - Wanda recalled. «She had a health team, nurses, and she had family. She was getting healthier».
Recently, Wendy’s son Kevin Hunter Jr. spoke about the star’s health struggles in the Lifetime documentary «Where is Wendy Williams?». The 23-year-old claimed that his mother’s medical team linked her alcohol consumption to her ongoing health issues. According to her son, doctors «basically said that because she drank so much, it started affecting her mental state and her brain». Kevin then said, «So, I guess they said it’s alcohol-induced dementia»
Five years later, Wendy was diagnosed with «primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia (FTD)», - as confirmed by her medical team. Actor Bruce Willis also suffers from FTD.
Here is everything you need to know about Wendy Williams' battle with Graves' disease, FTD, and aphasia, starting from her initial diagnosis to how she is feeling today.
In February 2018, Wendy opened up an important discussion about Graves' disease. «My thyroid was totally out of whack, and that’s what you all saw in my eyes. You noticed it before I did», - she told her audience during her show, as reported by CBS News. She also explained that her hyperthyroidism is related to the diagnosis. «My thyroid, my hyperthyroidism is also connected to Graves' disease», - she explained. «Graves' disease squeezes the muscles behind the eyes, and that’s why», - she opened her eyes wide to explain what that means.
She also admitted that she had been instructed by her doctor to take a three-week break from her show. She had already missed one, noting that she felt like she had «birds flying around her head, like in a cartoon» before the diagnosis. «I'll be back in two weeks. I’m not an heiress», - she joked. «Who will pay my bills?»
In 2023, Wendy was officially diagnosed with FTD and aphasia, confirmed by her medical team the following year.
«On behalf of Wendy Williams Hunter, her care team shares this very personal update with her beloved fans, friends, and supporters to correct inaccurate and hurtful rumors about her health», - read a statement from Wendy’s team, as reported by TV Insider. «Wendy would not have received these diagnoses were it not for the diligence of her current care team, whom she chose, and the outstanding work of specialists at Weill Cornell Medical Center. Receiving the diagnosis has allowed Wendy to receive the necessary medical care».
The statement continued: «The decision to share this news was a difficult one and made after careful consideration, not only to protect Wendy’s understanding and compassion, but also to draw attention to aphasia and frontotemporal dementia and support the thousands of others facing similar circumstances. Unfortunately, many people diagnosed with aphasia and frontotemporal dementia face stigma and misunderstanding, especially when they begin to exhibit behavioral changes but have not yet received a diagnosis».
Wendy’s family told PEOPLE in an interview that they were not informed of her dementia diagnosis. Her sister Wanda Finnie said that the family was unaware of Wendy’s health condition since the fall of 2021, before she was placed under court guardianship. «When she was in Florida, there were a lot of people involved. Even beyond the family, there were doctors, people from Wendy’s professional world who were involved», - Wanda recalled. «She had a health team, nurses, and she had family. She was getting healthier».
Recently, Wendy’s son Kevin Hunter Jr. spoke about the star’s health struggles in the Lifetime documentary «Where is Wendy Williams?». The 23-year-old claimed that his mother’s medical team linked her alcohol consumption to her ongoing health issues. According to her son, doctors «basically said that because she drank so much, it started affecting her mental state and her brain». Kevin then said, «So, I guess they said it’s alcohol-induced dementia»
© Smirnova Olga
