INQUISITR.COM / Entertainment

David Cassidy Wants Fans To Know ‘He’s Okay,’ Says Dr. Phil

By Stacey Cole
Published on: 05:58 PST, Feb 28, 2017

David Cassidy has spoken with Dr. Phil in his first interview since revealing a devastating dementia diagnosis, according to Today. Following the interview, which was pre-recorded and will be aired on Dr. Phil on Wednesday, Dr. Phil McGraw spoke with Today about David Cassidy’s diagnosis, his state of mind, and why he chose to reveal his illness now.

David Cassidy was diagnosed with dementia more than two years ago, prompting many people to ask why the former Partridge Family star has decided to go public with his diagnosis now. And in his exclusive interview with Dr. Phil, Cassidy explained that it was because his worsening dementia symptoms were causing people to speculate that he had relapsed into alcoholism.

Rather than continuing to let people assume the worst about him, the TV star decided to come clean about his diagnosis in an attempt to explain his recent strange behavior.

In particular, it was recent concert footage that showed the 66-year-old TV star struggling to recall lyrics to his own songs, slurring his speech, and even appearing to fall on stage that prompted David Cassidy to reveal his dementia diagnosis.

Today noted that Cassidy has a history of alcohol abuse, spending time in rehab in 2014 after being arrested for DUIs three times since 2010. Despite claiming that he is “in the very early stages of dementia,” David Cassidy says that the symptoms of his illness caused him to trip on stage, slur his speech, and forget the lyrics to his own songs.

Speaking in particular about his recent trip on a concert stage, Cassidy admitted that he slipped on a stage monitor.

“I tripped on that. But I certainly wasn’t intoxicated and it has nothing to do with why I’m leaving.”

The former Partridge Family star has a message for all of his fans, and it is simply that he is “okay.” It seems that the 66-year-old TV star wanted to make it clear in his interview with Dr. Phil that his revelation about his dementia diagnosis was not intended to scare his fans. Instead, he doesn’t want anyone thinking badly of him, believing that he has relapsed into alcohol abuse.

“Certainly, my dementia has contributed to the reason why I don’t want to go out and I don’t want to hear, ‘Well, he looked like he was drunk’… I wasn’t.”

When asked by Dr. Phil about what made him initially become concerned about a possible dementia diagnosis, David Cassidy revealed that both his mother and his grandfather had succumbed to the same disease. People magazine reported that the former teen heartthrob was so badly affected by watching the decline of his mother and grandfather that he asked his 26-year-old son, Beau, to make a difficult promise.

“I want you to promise me you’ll find a way to let me go and don’t let me live like that.”

Referring to Beau as “one of the best people you’ll ever meet in your life,” Cassidy revealed that his son gives him “reminders” in a loving and gentle way when he knows he’s “just a little off.”

“He knows that I’m just a little off. Sometimes he cocks his head at me a little bit and goes, ‘Dad do you remember?’ and I say, ‘No, I know I do, I remember.’ He’ll give me reminders once in a while. He’s such a beautiful person.”

Dr. Phil’s full interview with David Cassidy will be shown in its entirety on Dr. Phil on Wednesday.

[Featured Image by Debby Wong/Shutterstock]

Share this article: David Cassidy Wants Fans To Know ‘He’s Okay,’ Says Dr. Phil
dementia dr phil david cassidy
More from Inquisitr