Wendy Williams‘ family has acknowledged her dementia diagnosis, and her son Kevin Hunter Jr. has shared that healthcare experts suspect that the former talk show host’s cognitive disorder may be associated with her long–standing fight with alcohol addiction.
During a recent installment of the Lifetime documentary Where is Wendy Williams?, Kevin, 23, disclosed that the medical professionals had alerted the family that the 59-year-old shock jock’s heavy drinking had started to affect her cognitive abilities and brain, causing what they suspect is dementia resulting from alcohol consumption.
Wendy Williams’ 23-Year-Old Son Opens Up About Her Dementia Diagnosis And Alcoholism
Wendy’s medical team have identified the consequences of alcohol on her mental state and cognitive functions as the root cause of her challenges. According to Kevin, doctors “basically said that because she was drinking so much, it was starting to affect her headspace and her brain.”
He added: “So, I think they said it was alcohol-induced dementia.” Kevin continued: “I was able to really learn more about things going on with my mother internally.”
The disclosure was made several days after Wendy’s team made a public announcement regarding her diagnosis with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia. Language processing, behavior, and cognitive functions are all impaired by these two neurological conditions.
On February 22nd, the media personality's team also released a statement detailing the challenges that Wendy is currently facing — similar to those being experienced by actor Bruce Willis. These are said to have "already presented significant hurdles in Wendy's life."
"The decision to share this news was difficult and made after careful consideration, not only to advocate for understanding and compassion for Wendy," the team noted, "but to raise awareness about aphasia and frontotemporal dementia and support the thousands of others facing similar circumstances."
Despite this, they stressed that Wendy "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."
In 2019, while staying at a rehabilitation center in Florida, Wendy was informed of her brain damage. However, it wasn't until four years later in 2023 that she was officially diagnosed with dementia and aphasia.
Wendy's niece, Alex Finnie, discovered her aunt's diagnosis in 2022, but had already noticed signs of her declining health when she began experiencing memory loss and forgetfulness. “But after seeing my aunt and really spending time with her in a state where she’s in right now, I quickly realized that things were just not normal,” Alex revealed in the new documentary, adding, “It’s heartbreaking.”
In addition to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Alex mentioned that Wendy's struggles were further compounded by the passing of her mother and the dissolution of her marriage with Kevin Hunter Sr.
In the docuseries, Wendy was depicted frequently indulging in substances despite her notorious history with substance abuse, yet her former representative, Shawn Zanotti, brushed aside any apprehension by stating that the media figure "knows her limits."
Wendy's previous lawyer LaShawn Thomas, however, expressed skepticism towards the validity of the star's diagnoses and instead pointed the finger at the guardianship that was ordered by the court before the debut of the show.
On Instagram, the attorney shared a dated clip featuring Wendy who was seated comfortably in bed and appeared to be in good health. In the video, Wendy can be heard expressing her love for exercising at the gym.
“You can clearly see the difference between Wendy’s well-being during her time here in Florida with her son caring for her and her lack thereof in New York under this ‘guardianship,’” LaShawn captioned the post. She went on: “These Wendys are not the same. How did her health deteriorate so quickly, and why isn’t her only child allowed to be by her side. She wasn’t like that when he cared for [her].”
According to the lawyer from the Miami Entertainment Law Group, she captured footage of Wendy just two weeks before the court instructed her to return to New York and be placed under guardianship in 2022.
