Phil Robertson Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and Blood Disease, Son Says
Duck Dynasty star and Unashamed podcast host Phil Robertson has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease as well as "some sort" of blood disease, according to his son, Jase, who said the 78-year-old patriarch has been "really struggling." The elder Robertson needs a "supernatural intervention," Jase said.
"According to the doctors, they're sure that he has some sort of blood disease that's causing all kinds of problems," Jase said on the Dec. 6 edition of the Unashamed podcast.
"And he's had this for a few years. It's just gotten a lot worse," son Al Robertson said.
"It's accelerated, and it's causing problems with his entire body, and he has early stages of Alzheimer's," Jase added. "So if you put those things together, he's just not doing well. He's really struggling. He keeps saying, 'I'm gonna get back to the podcast.' But I'm like, 'Well, Phil, you can barely walk around without crying out in pain.' And I was like, 'You know, your memory is not what it once was.' He's like, 'Tell me about it.' So he is literally unable to, I think he would agree, to just sit down and have a conversation."
Al Robertson said his father has "good days and bad days."
"We're trying," Jase said, "to do a lot of things to figure out how to make him more comfortable and maybe help with his memory. …We've got a team of doctors, and then we have another set of doctors who are looking at all the tests, and they're all in agreement that there's no curing what he has."
Jase revealed that his father went duck hunting with the family 10 days earlier.
"But my dad did not fire his weapon, nor did he say much," Jase said, adding that his father said he was "miserable" during the hunt.
"If he's unable to go duck hunting, that pretty much tells you all you need to know," Jase said.
Doctors are "optimists about doing a few things to slow" down memory loss, Jase said.
His father is also losing weight even though he is eating well, Jase said.
In 2023, The Blind, a film chronicling Phil Robertson's journey to Christianity, debuted in theaters. He also released a book: I Could Be Wrong, But I Doubt It.
"Dad is the most unashamed person I've ever known," Al said, "and he's now passed that legacy onto us."
WATCH: Phil’s Diagnosis | Ep 1003
Related Article: Phil Robertson's Journey from Anger and Alcoholism to Christ Retold in The Blind
Photo Credit: ©Instagram/Official Phil Robertson
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
Listen to Michael's Podcast! He is the host of Crosswalk Talk, a podcast where he talks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian movies, books, television, and other entertainment. You can find Crosswalk Talk on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an interview that will be sure to encourage your faith.
Originally published December 09, 2024.
