Wendy Williams Seen for First Time Since Revealing Aphasia, Dementia Diagnoses

Fans of Wendy Williams have some answers following the February release of a two-part documentary on Lifetime, “Where Is Wendy Williams?”. The former talk show host, who is 60 years old, was seen publicly for the first time since her legal and medical issues became public knowledge earlier this year.

Last week, a business in Newark, New Jersey shared that Williams, who has been inactive on social media since 2022, visited their herbal supplement and holistic health product shop. The owner, Víctor Bowman, posted photos on Instagram and Facebook showing Williams and her 24-year-old son, Kevin Hunter Jr.

“Wendy Williams came to my store,” Bowman wrote in his Facebook caption, expressing affection with “Much love Queen.” Williams’ son responded on Instagram with an emoji-laden comment, implying his hopes for his mother’s well-being: “🙏🏽📈🤞🏽🤞🏽🤞🏽.”

This marked the first time Williams had been photographed in public since her team disclosed in a February press release that she had been diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia. Shortly after, the television personality’s health struggles were detailed in “Where Is Wendy Williams?”.

The docuseries highlights Williams’ health struggles until she is eventually admitted to a treatment facility. Her family discusses her dementia diagnosis while advocating for changes to the guardianship she was placed under in 2022.

In the documentary, Hunter claimed his mother’s dementia was “alcohol-induced.” He explained, “They basically said that because she was drinking so much, it was starting to affect her headspace and her brain.”

According to Alzheimers.gov, frontotemporal dementia is characterized by changes in thinking and behaviors such as movement, language, and emotions. It is caused by a group of disorders that gradually damage the brain’s frontal and temporal lobes, though the cause is “not yet fully understood.”

The documentary also highlights criticisms from Williams’ family towards the court’s decision to appoint a guardian in 2022 to manage her finances. They argue that a family member should assume that role.

In February, Sabrina Morrissey, an attorney and Williams’ temporary guardian, revealed herself by filing a lawsuit against A+E Networks to halt the release of “Where Is Wendy Williams?”. Morrissey claimed Williams “was not, and is not, capable of consenting to the terms” of the documentary contract.

Morrissey’s filing claimed that at the time of the lawsuit, Williams was “under 24-hour medical care and supervision.” She also alleged the documentary exploits Williams’ medical condition to portray her in a humiliating and degrading manner.

An attorney for A+E Networks argued that Morrissey attempted to stop the documentary only after seeing how Williams’ guardianship was depicted in the trailer. Despite Morrissey’s efforts, Lifetime, which is owned by A+E Networks, went ahead with airing “Where Is Wendy Williams?” on February 24 and 25. An appellate judge ruled that blocking the documentary from airing would violate the First Amendment.

The case concerning the documentary’s release continues in New York. In the fall of 2021, “The Wendy Williams Show” faced several production delays and brought in a rotating cast of guest hosts. The show was ultimately canceled in 2022 following Williams’ medical leave due to her battle with the autoimmune disorder Graves’ disease. Since then, Williams has kept a low profile.

Source: USA TODAY