Billy Joel has the support of his family, including his ex Christie Brinkley and their daughter, Alexa, amid his diagnosis with a rare type of dementia.
Joel announced in a statement on social media May 23 that he was diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus, a rare but reversible type of dementia, and would be canceling all of his upcoming concert dates.
Brinkley, who was married to Joel for nine years, shared a message of support for the singer in a May 24 Instagram post.
Alongside a video montage of clips from a recent concert of Joel’s, she wrote that the Brinkley family was sending him “lots of love and good wishes for a full and speedy recovery.”
“I was looking for some cute photos of you and Alexa to send you, when I came across this clip from a recent concert,” she continued. “It made me laugh ..but it also reminded me of all the joy you create, and all the sensational sing a longs you’ve lead… you turn an arena of strangers into a living room full of friends as we all sway in unison.”
Brinkley expressed that she hoped he would “take good care” of himself, adding, “we all want you back in that white hot spotlight, you’re OUR piano man.”
Joel and Brinkley’s daughter, Alexa, also penned a touching message of support to her dad on Instagram. Her post featured an illustration of a father and daughter holding hands.
“We love you and we got you, Pop!” she began in the heartfelt caption. “I just wanted to thank you all for the beautiful outpouring of love and support amid the recent news of My Father’s health diagnosis.”
She called her dad the “strongest and most resilient man” she’s ever known, adding that “he’s entirely committed to making a full recovery with ongoing physical-therapy treatments as he continues to regain his strength.”
“The genuine care, empathy, and concern from everyone means so much to him… it means a lot to me, too,” she wrote.
To conclude the caption, she shared lyrics from Joel’s song “Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel),” which was inspired by Alexa, as he told “60 Minutes Australia” in 2022.
“‘Someday We’ll All Be Gone / But Lullabies Go On And On / They Never Die / That’s How You And I Will Be,’” she wrote. “The music continues…”
Joel, who is also a father to daughters Della and Remy, shared further details about his health in his initial statement.
“This condition has been exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision, and balance,” the statement read. “Under his doctor’s instructions, Billy is undergoing specific physical therapy and has been advised to refrain from performing during this recovery period.”
In recent months, Brinkley celebrated her ex’s 76th birthday and opened up about her long-standing friendship with Joel, even after their split.
During an April interview with TODAY.com, she talked about her memoir, “Uptown Girl,” which detailed aspects of their relationship.
“He’s a very loyal guy. He’s loyal to his friends, he’s generous,” Brinkley said of Joel. “He just had a lot of stresses on him at the point when we were together and it just kind of came crashing down on us.”
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