Danny Glover Announces Alzheimers Diagnosis, Remains Positive About The Future

By TeeJay Small
| Published 14 seconds ago

Action fans of a certain age will surely perk with excitement upon hearing the name Danny Glover. The Hollywood icon is best known for starring in the Lethal Weapon franchise as the grizzled, too-old-for-this-sh*t Roger Murtaugh. According to a report in The Guardian, Glover has recently revealed a tragic health update with the public, as he has become diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Glover is 79-years-old, and currently facing the illness with a tremendous amount of positivity and grace, especially if your only barometer for his outlook is Murtaugh’s gruff grumbling.

The Time Is Now

During a recent interview, the Predator 2 star explained that he was initially diagnosed with Alzheimer’s several years ago, and has been quietly managing it ever since. The prognosis first arrived in 2022, shortly after Glover received an honorary Oscar for his prolific work in film. Glover claims “I could live with it, in a sense. I’m sure as it advances, things are going to be different and changing.”

When asked why he decided to come forward with this health update four years on, Glover and his daughter Mandisa agreed that the family wanted to open up on their own terms. “The time is now,” Mandisa told The Today Show, adding “What better time but now for him to speak for himself? It’s important because people ask questions sometimes, and I don’t want to be a dishonest person and say, ‘Oh, yeah, everything is all right. It’s all great’.”

Indeed, the Alzheimer’s diagnosis is quite troubling, even with Danny Glover’s upbeat attitude. The disease is progressive and fatal, often requiring 24-hour care in the late stages. Glover has agreed that he’s had trouble processing the severity of the diagnosis at times, but added “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 Positive Outlook

The most inspiring portion of Danny Glover’s interview blitz came when he admitted “I don’t feel like it’s the end of my life.” Rather than languishing in the complications of the illness, the Sorry To Bother You star says “There’s work to do. I still have my daughter, I have friends. I want to just say, your life continues.”

A quick glance at Glover’s IMDb page will reveal that his workload has only continued to grow. Not only does he have half a dozen films in various stages of active production, Glover has also appeared in tons of movies and shows since receiving his initial Alzheimer’s diagnosis. These new projects include a brief appearance in Boots Riley’s I’m A Virgo mini-series, a voice role in the video game Crime Boss: Rockay City, and a starring appearance as Santa Claus in the Disney Christmas heist film The Naughty Nine.

In all likelihood, we’ve probably seen the last of Danny Glover driving his car through a high-rise or narrowly avoiding a toilet bomb explosion like he has in the Lethal Weapon movies. Still, his attitude toward life will surely be a comforting reminder that health diagnoses such as this don’t always need to be doom and gloom. With the right attitude, and a good support system, anything is possible.