You hate to hear that.
Chances are you’re probably familiar with Phil Robertson from his time on the hit A&E reality show Duck Dynasty. The patriarch of the Robertson family, Phil was a star quarterback at Louisiana Tech in the 1960s – earning the starting job over future Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw.
But when Phil was offered the opportunity to sign with the then-Washington Redskins, he declined because football season conflicted with hunting season.
He founded the Duck Commander brand back in 1972 when he started selling handmade duck calls that he made from his boat in Louisiana. And since then, the family has grown the brand into a multi-million dollar company, and has also expanded into deer hunting gear with Buck Commander, fishing gear with their Fin Commander brand, and many others.
The family, including current Duck Commander CEO and Phil’s son Willie Robertson, along with Phil’s brother Uncle Si, was the focus of Duck Dynasty, which premiered back in 2012 and ran through 2017. At one point it was the most-watched show in A&E history, and it shot the family from West Monroe, Louisiana to stardom.
But unfortunately, it was recently revealed that Phil Robertson has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
The news was announced by his son Jase Robertson on his podcast Unashamed with the Robertson Family:
“Phil’s not doing well… We were kind of trying to figure out the diagnosis, but according to the doctors, they’re sure he has some sort of blood disease that’s causing all kinds of problems…
It’s like accelerated, and it’s causing problems with his entire body. And he has early stages of Alzheimers. So, if you put those things together, he’s just not doing well. He’s really struggling.”
Jase also said that Phil isn’t able to do much because he can’t keep from losing weight, despite eating “pretty good.”
“He just can’t retain weight, he keeps losing weight, and he’s just not able to do much.”
And though he said Phil acknowledges that his memory’s not what it used to, he keeps hoping that he’s able to make it back to doing the podcast with the rest of his family:
“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.’…
He is literally unable to, I think he would agree, to just sit down and have a conversation.”
Jase’s brother and podcast co-host, Al Robertson, said that Phil has both good days and bad days, as anybody who has watched a family member suffer with Alzheimer’s can no doubt understand. But Jase says they’re just doing their best to take care of their father:
“We’re trying to do a lot of things to figure out how to make him more comfortable and maybe help with his memory. There’s a lot of different things that we’re doing from doctor sessions…
But from what we’re hearing, outside of some supernatural intervention…they’re all in agreement, there’s no curing what he has.”
You hate to hear that. But Robertson has always been open about his faith and his belief in Jesus Christ, and Al Robertson says that brings the family comfort:
“If he were here you know what he would say. ‘Boys, the resurrection looms large as you get nearer and nearer the end.’
So we’re not worried in that sense with him, but it’s just one of those things we have to deal with.”
If you’ve ever watched a loved one suffer from Alzheimer’s, you know just what a heartbreaking disease it is, and the toll it can take on a family as their loved one slips away.
Luckily, Phil is strong in his faith and ready for whatever comes next, and the family is close and able to lean on each other during this difficult time.
Here’s hoping for that supernatural intervention that Jase is hoping for, but if not, praying for comfort for not only Phil but for the entire family.
