Danny Glover has revealed that he is living with Alzheimer's disease. The 79-year-old American actor received his diagnosis in 2023, after his family began noticing changes in his memory as early as 2022. He will turn 80 on July 22.
The announcement ends a period of silence surrounding his health. Danny Glover has chosen to speak publicly about his illness while he can still tell his own story. His daughter, Mandisa, who has been very present by his side, explains that speaking out allows him to maintain control over his personal narrative.
Memory, speech, movement: the effects are already visible
The illness is already impacting her daily life. Her speech, movements, and memory have slowed. During her interview at TodayDanny Glover sometimes appears clear, sometimes more hesitant. His daughter describes a fluctuating awareness of the illness: some moments are lucid, others less so. The actor says he hasn't yet fully accepted what's happening to him. He acknowledges, however, that the progression of the disease
A family around him
Danny Glover lives surrounded by his loved ones, including his daughter Mandisa, his brother Marty, and caregivers. His family now plays a central role in his daily life. Danny says he can rely on them, and his family says they want to help him live as well as possible with his illness. Mandisa Glover recounts that her father previously had an extremely precise memory, capable of recalling old memories in great detail. The first worrying signs appeared when some family stories began to fall apart.
A career marked by cinema and activism
Danny Glover remains one of the major faces of American cinema in the 1980s and 1990s. He is known worldwide for his role as Roger Murtaugh in the saga The lethal Weapon with Mel Gibson.
Beyond his acting career, Glover is also known for his political and social activism. He received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2022 for his activism and charitable work. He also served as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme from 1998 to 2004.
Alzheimer's, a progressive and irreversible disease
Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia. It causes a progressive decline in memory, thinking, and the ability to perform daily activities. In the United States, approximately 7,4 million people aged 65 and older are living with Alzheimer's by 2026. The risk increases sharply with age, and the majority of those affected are over 75.
