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Ronald Reagan -

The Hollywood actor and US president passed away from pneumonia at the age of 93 in 2004. His wife Nancy revealed that he had been living with Alzheimer’s disease for the last 10 years of his life, and that it caused complications that contributed to his death.

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Sean Connery -

The Scottish actor best known for portraying James Bond for many years passed away in 2020. He was 90 years old, and had been living with dementia in his final years. His cause of death was pneumonia and heart failure.

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Margaret Thatcher -

The "Iron Lady" was Britain's first female prime minister, and perhaps its most controversial. She lived with dementia towards the end of her life and passed away from a stroke in 2013, aged 87.

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Tony Bennett -

The legendary crooner was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2016, although he and his family only disclosed this information in 2021, when he was 94. Despite his declining memory, his collaborator Lady Gaga said that he still knew exactly what he was doing when the music came on. He passed away on July 21, 2023. 

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Etta James -

Etta James was one of the great female voices of the 20th century. After a lengthy career, she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2008 when she was 70 years old. She passed away shortly afterward, in 2012.

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Malcolm Young - Malcolm Young, the AC/DC guitarist known for his schoolboy aesthetic, retired from the band in 2014 due to health reasons. His bandmate and brother, Angus Young, revealed that Malcolm had been diagnosed with dementia and was living in a nursing home receiving full-time care. He died of the disease in 2017 at the age of 64.

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Rita Hayworth -

Rita Hayworth was the ultimate star of the Golden Age of Hollywood. She appeared in over 60 films and was nicknamed "The Love Goddess." Hayworth was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 62, which contributed to her early death at the age of 68. Alzheimer’s wasn't a well-known condition in the 1980s, and her diagnosis helped to raise public awareness.

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Charles Bronson -

Star of Westerns, war films, and anything action, Charles Bronson was a household name for decades. He retired from acting when he started to experience health issues in his seventies. His family confirmed that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2001. His 2005 death was caused by a combination of lung cancer, heart failure, pneumonia, and Alzheimer’s. He was 81 years old.

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James Stewart -

James Stewart's illustrious film career spanned five decades. He only slowed down after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's in his eighties. He passed away from a heart attack in 1997 at the age of 89.

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Rosa Parks - World-famous civil rights activist Rosa Parks is best known for refusing to give up her seat on a public bus to make space for white passengers. She became a figurehead for the movement but carried on living a relatively quiet life afterward. She wrote an autobiography called 'My Story' in 1992. Parks was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in her later years and passed away in 2005 at the age of 92.

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Glenn Campbell -

Country music star Glenn Campbell is perhaps best known for his  1975 hit 'Rhinestone Cowboy.' He released more than 70 albums during his lengthy career, but retired shortly after announcing his Alzheimer's diagnosis in 2011.

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Glenn Campbell -

However, he made a critically acclaimed documentary about his condition called 'Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me' in 2014. It included Campbell's final song, 'I'm Not Gonna Miss You,' which earned a Grammy and a nomination for the Oscar for Best Original Song. He passed away in 2017 at the age of 81.

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Charlton Heston -

Charlton Heston was a prolific award-winning actor who is also remembered as a dedicated activist, both for the civil rights movement and later more conservative politics. Heston retired from acting (and his role as the president of the NRA) in 2002 after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. He passed away in 2008 at the age of 84.

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Omar Sharif -

Egyptian actor Omar Sharif starred in some of the most significant films of the 20th century, from 'Lawrence of Arabia' (1962) to 'Doctor Zhivago' (1965). His son announced that the cinema legend had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2015 after becoming forgetful and confused. He died of a heart attack that same year, aged 83.

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Terry Pratchett - The magical British author Terry Pratchett was famed for comical fantasy books, most notably the 'Discworld' series. His works inspired many TV series, like 'Good Omens,' and films, such as 'The Amazing Maurice' (2022). He was sadly diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease in 2007. He passed away in 2015 at the age of 66. He made substantial contributions to Alzheimer's awareness and research before his death, including making a BBC TV series chronicling his experience with the disease.

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Estelle Getty -

Estelle Getty, best remembered as Sophia on 'The Golden Girls,' died of Lewy bodies dementia in 2008, just a few days before her 84th birthday.

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Norman Rockwell -

One of the most famous American painters of the 20th century, Norman Rockwell was diagnosed with dementia in his final years, which rendered him unable to create art. He died of emphysema at age 84 in 1978.

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Willem de Kooning -

Another famous artist of the 20th century, this time an abstract expressionist, Willem de Kooning began to suffer from memory loss in his seventies. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in the 1980s, and died of the illness in 1997 at the age of 92.

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Sugar Ray Robinson - Sugar Ray Robinson is remembered as one of the greatest boxers of all time. He passed away in 1989 at the age of 87. He had been living with Alzheimer's disease in his final years.

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Vincente Minnelli -

Vincente Minnelli, the famed film director who was husband to Judy Garland and father to Liza Minnelli, suffered from Alzheimer's disease later in life. He died of emphysema and pneumonia in 1986 at the age of 83.

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Robin Williams -

Robin Williams sadly took his own life in 2014, at the age of 63. He had reportedly been suffering from depression, memory loss, paranoia, and insomnia for many years. His autopsy revealed that he had undiagnosed and severe Lewy body disease. His wife, Susan Schneider Williams, said that the post-mortem diagnosis finally explained his years of mental decline. She became an advocate for LBD awareness and research.

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Casey Kasem -

Casey Kasem was one of the most famous radio personalities in the US for decades, and also famously lent his voice to the character Shaggy in the 'Scooby-Doo' franchise. He retired in 2009, and his daughter revealed he had been diagnosed with Lewy body dementia a few years later. His condition became severe and he was unable to speak or care for himself prior to his death. He passed away in 2014 at the age of 82.

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Peter Falk -

Peter Falk, the actor and comedian best known for playing the titular detective in the long-running series 'Columbo,' was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2008. He passed away in 2011 at the age of 83 from pneumonia with complications caused by Alzheimer's.

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Evelyn Keyes -

Evelyn Keyes was a starlet of the Golden Age of Hollywood who appeared in classics like 'Gone With the Wind' (1939) and 'The Seven Year Itch' (1955). She was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in the 1990s and passed away from cancer in 2008 at the age of 91.

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Perry Como -

Nicknamed "Mr. C," Perry Como was a famous singer and actor for 50 years. He passed away in 2001 at the age of 89, after reportedly suffering from symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.

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Barbara Windsor - British icon Barbara Windsor was best known for her appearances in the 'Carry On' film franchise and the soap opera 'EastEnders.' In 2018, her husband revealed that she had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2014. Windsor and her husband campaigned for Alzheimer's awareness until her death in 2019, at the age of 83.

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Bruce Willis -

Following his aphasia diagnosis in 2022, Bruce Willis' family announced his retirement from acting and from the spotlight. In early 2023, his family provided a further update with the sad news that he had a new diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia. This rare form of dementia affects the parts of the brain associated with personality, behavior, and language, rather than memory.

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Bruce Willis -

Changes in behavior, empathy, and emotional regulation are common symptoms of this form of dementia, which can be very distressing for the sufferer and their loved ones. Additionally, aphasia impacts a person's ability to speak and understand language. Willis was 67 years old when his diagnosis was shared.

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Wendy Williams -

A statement released by Wendy Williams’ care team on February 2, 2024, revealed that the 59-year-old  TV host is suffering from aphasia and frontotemporal dementia. What's even more shocking is that her diagnosis is identical to that of Bruce Willis. According to the statement, Williams began to exhibit worrying symptoms in recent years, such as erratic behavior, loss of words, and difficulties understanding financial transactions, which prompted her to undergo a battery of tests. She received her diagnosis in 2023. 

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Wendy Williams - The disorders “have already presented significant hurdles in Wendy's life," her care team wrote. However, “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." Sadly, there are currently no cures for either of these debilitating illnesses. 

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Eddie Albert -

Eddie Albert, known for classic films like 'Roman Holiday' (1953) and 'The Heartbreak Kid' (1972), was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 1995. He passed away from pneumonia in 2005 at the age of 99.

Sources: (Brevard Alzheimer’s Foundation) (Verywell Health)

See also: Celebs who kept their serious illnesses a secret

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