Duck Dynasty’s Phil Robertson is in the “early stages” of Alzheimer’s Disease, his family has confirmed.
Phil’s son Jase Robertson shared the health update on his father, 78, via the Friday, December 6 episode of podcast, “Unashamed with the Robertson Family”.
“According to the doctors, they’re sure that he has some sort of blood disease that’s causing all kinds of problems,” Jase, 55, explained on the podcast. “It’s accelerated and it’s causing problems with his entire body.”
Jase added that the diagnosis has been difficult for his father both mentally and physically, sharing, “He’s just not doing well. He’s really struggling.”
In addition, Phil’s health has also been deteriorating due to an ongoing blood disease issue, Jase said.
Phil did not appear on the podcast episode due to his health making it difficult to do so despite the reality star wishing he was able to.
“He keeps saying, ‘I’m gonna get back to the podcast,’” Jase said. “But I’m like, ‘Well Phil, you can barely walk around without crying out in pain, and 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.”
Phil found fame alongside his family on duck-hunting reality series Duck Dynasty, which aired from 2012 to 2017. As well as Jase, Phil shares adult children Willie, 52, Jep, 46, and Alan Robertson, 59, with wife Kay Robertson, 76.
He also discovered in 2020 that he had a daughter, Phyllis Thomas, 49, who was born following an affair that took place 45 years prior.
In the podcast, Jase said the family were rallying around Phil as they help him battle the terminal illness.
“We’re trying to do a lot of things to figure out how to make him more comfortable, and maybe help with his memory,” he said. “We’ve got a team of doctors and they’re all in agreement that there’s no curing what he has. And so, what do you do? We’re trying to make him a little more comfortable.”
Jase previously spoke about his love for his family in 2020 after discovering he had a sister that he didn’t know about.
He shared that because of this, he was determined to meet Phyllis and be amicable.
“I fight with my family a lot but I got their back,” Jase explained in a May 2020 episode of his “Unashamed” podcast. “I love them. I’m there for them. So I’d already made that decision. I was ready to go either way. I was gonna love her no matter what. But I was like ‘I really like her,’ which is awesome