The well-respected actor who gave us Mister in The Color Purple, the legendary Detective Roger Murtaugh in Lethal Weapon, and a lifetime of straight-up, unapologetic activism just dropped some heavy news on us.
RELATED: Connecticut Man With Alzheimer’s Remarries Wife After Forgetting They’re Married
Sitting down for a vulnerable interview, the 79-year-old icon revealed he’s been quietly battling Alzheimer’s disease since 2022, just months after he was honored with his lifetime achievement Oscar. During his appearance on the Today Show he said while his speech and movements have slowed down and his memory isn’t what it used to be, he’s not throwing in the towel. Keeping it completely real about what lies ahead, Glover shared, “I can live with it in a sense. I’m sure as it advances, different things will be different and changing.”
The family is rallying around him heavily, making sure the world knows that a diagnosis doesn’t mean his story is over. His daughter, Mandisa, spoke out about why they decided to share this news right now, ahead of his milestone 80th birthday this month.
She made it clear that they wanted to strip away the stigma that usually comes with this disease in our community, saying, “I think it’s really important for him to have control of his own narrative, of his own life story. That’s really important. And the time is now.” She kept it real about the reality of the situation too, adding, “I don’t want to be a dishonest person and say, ‘Oh, yeah, everything is all right. It’s all great.’”
Even with the diagnosis, Danny Glover is still out here doing the work, proving he is never “too old for this.” He’s still pulling up to events and remains deeply committed to mentoring the next generation, focusing his energy on speaking to young people about social justice and holding down the torch for the community.
We are sending nothing but love, strength, and infinite prayers to Danny and the entire Glover family.