Annie Walton Doyle
Wendy Williams has been diagnosed with aphasia and frontotemporal dementia.
Williams, 59, has received a heartbreaking health diagnosis.
Her personal problems, hectic personal life, and newly discovered health issues have ensured the past few years have been very turbulent for the TV star.
Williams took leave from her eponymous talk show to deal with health concerns related to Graves’ disease, an immune system disorder that results in the overproduction of thyroid hormones in May 2020.
But now, her niece, Alex Finnie, has offered a further devastating update.
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Ahead of the release of Lifetime’s documentary, Where Is Wendy Williams?, members of the star’s family sat down for emotional interviews with Deborah Roberts.
This included Williams’ niece Alex Finnie, the star’s son, Kevin Hunter Jr., and her sister, Wanda Williams.
“I said I wasn’t gonna cry – because I feel like I’ve cried enough over the last year and a half,” Finnie sobs. “But what people are gonna see is a broken woman who has had the world on her shoulders for so long and just cracked.”
She goes on: “I understand that people will look at it, and – some people will look at it and think that [this is exploitative]. But I will say this, first and foremost, my aunt is the executive producer of this documentary.
“And when I finally talked with her and I said to her, ‘Aunt Wendy, why are – do you wanna do this?’. You know, ‘You’re – you’re – you’re clearly – the health piece, all of that has to be addressed. Is now the right time?’. And she said, ‘Now is the perfect time because I wanna take ownership of my story’.”
And now, TMZ has confirmed Williams has been diagnosed with aphasia and frontotemporal dementia.
As per the Mayo Clinic, this is ‘a rare nervous system syndrome that affects the ability to communicate. People who have it can have trouble expressing their thoughts and understanding or finding words’.
A statement released by Williams’ team reads: “In 2023, after undergoing a battery of medical tests, Wendy was officially diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia (FTD).”
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It goes on: “Wendy would not have received confirmation of these diagnoses were it not for the diligence of her current care team, who she chose, and the extraordinary work of the specialists at Weill Cornell Medicine.
“Wendy is still able to do many things for herself. Most importantly she maintains her trademark sense of humor and is receiving the care she requires to make sure she is protected and that her needs are addressed. She is appreciative of the many kind thoughts and good wishes being sent her way.”
Her team concludes: “Receiving a diagnosis has enabled Wendy to receive the medical care she requires.”
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