In an appearance filmed for the TODAY show that aired on Tuesday, actor and activist Danny Glover revealed he, like over 7 million other Americans, is living with Alzheimer's disease. The progressive, fatal neurodegenerative disease causes memory loss and cognitive decline.
The veteran actor has 200 film and TV credits to his name going back almost 50 years. His theatre credits extend even further. Glover has also received several prestigious awards for his decades of humanitarian work and political activism, including the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 2022.
While there is no cure for Alzheimer's, medications and changes to daily routines do help manage symptoms and slow progression. Glover, who lives in his California hometown with his younger brother Marty in a San Francisco townhouse the actor bought 50 years ago, shared he'd been diagnosed in 2023 and is adjusting to life with the disease.
Glover told NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt:
"I’m sure as it advances, things are going to be different and changing."
You can see his TODAY show interview here:
Glover and his family also sat down with People magazine to discuss his life since his diagnosis.
The actor said:
"I'm still not accepting in my mind all parts of it. There are the moments that you keep remembering that validate the fact that you can remember stuff. And there are moments I'll never forget."
Glover's only child, daughter Mandisa, shared when she'd first noticed a change in her father.
"The history of my dad is that he remembers every single thing back to 1970, what corner he was standing on, who he spoke to, what they spoke about, what color they were wearing, everything."
But then in 2022, she noted:
"He'd tell you so much about his parents—and I've heard those stories over and over—and there would be pieces of the story missing. I said, 'I wonder what's going on.'"
Fans expressed their love and support after the actor's diagnosis was shared in his two exclusive interviews.
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Glover told People:
"I don't feel like it's the end of my life. There's work to do."
The star of The Color Purple, the Lethal Weapon series, Angels in the Outfield, and Beloved will celebrate his 80th birthday on July 22.
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