Wendy Williams’ frontotemporal dementia is due to her alcoholism.
In the two-part Lifetime documentary Where Is Wendy Williams?, Williams' son, Kevin Hunter Jr., explained that doctors informed him that his mother's abuse of alcohol greatly affected "her headspace and her brain."
“I was able to really learn more about things going on with my mother internally,” the 23-year-old shared in Sunday’s (February 25) episode. “[Doctors] basically said that because she was drinking so much, it was starting to affect her headspace and her brain. So, I think they said it was alcohol-induced dementia.”
In 2019, Williams, 59, first learned of her alcohol-related brain damage when she entered a Florida rehab facility. However, it wasn't until years later that she received the formal diagnosis of dementia and aphasia.
Elsewhere in the documentary, the former talk show host's niece, Alex Finnie, shared that she was told of her aunt's diagnosis in the fall of 2022.
"All I know is that it was dementia," she shared. "You look back at little things, and it's a slow roll. It's little things like, 'When's your birthday again?' You know? 'What's his name again?' 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. It's heartbreaking."
Finnie added, "When it's come to my aunt's dementia, there are three things that didn't help her: divorce, the pandemic, and then losing my grandmother."
Ahead of the documentary's release, Williams' team announced her diagnosis in a statement. “As Wendy’s fans are aware, in the past she has been open with the public about her medical struggles with Graves’ Disease and Lymphedema as well as other significant challenges related to her health," Williams' camp shared, per Page Six. “Receiving a diagnosis has enabled Wendy to receive the medical care she requires.”
The statement continued, “The decision to share this news was difficult and made after careful consideration, not only to advocate for understanding and compassion for Wendy, but to raise awareness about aphasia and frontotemporal dementia and support the thousands of others facing similar circumstances.”
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