Jack Hanna’s family says famed zookeeper ‘continues to decline’ amid battle with ‘advanced’ Alzheimer’s

Jack Hanna’s family members shared a heartbreaking update amid the famed zookeeper and Tv set host’s fight with Alzheimer’s disorder.

The 77-yr-old former director of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium’s family members produced a statement in which they said Hanna’s issue has worsened as the degenerative mind sickness progressed.

“We would like we experienced very good news to share, but Jack continues to decrease and has all the signs or symptoms a single would anticipate with highly developed Alzheimer’s,” Hanna’s spouse and children explained in their statement to Men and women journal. 

“Each working day, we do our finest to obtain pleasure – even when things are challenging,” they continued.

“We hope that sharing Jack’s diagnosis of Alzheimer’s delivers recognition to the condition that influences pretty much 7 million People and their households.”

Alzheimer’s ailment, which is the most widespread variety of dementia, is a progressive brain ailment that influences memory, thinking and actions.

Around time, signs turn into severe more than enough to interfere with day by day responsibilities, for every the Altzheimer’s Association.

The illness ordinarily progresses by a few levels – early, center and late. Late-stage Altzheimer’s is at times referred to as “severe” or “advanced” in the health-related local community.

According to the Alzheimer’s Affiliation, people in the late phase of the condition get rid of the means to respond to their natural environment, communicate and, at some point, management motion. 

In April 2021, Hanna’s daughters Kathaleen, Suzanne and Julie, whom he shares with his spouse Suzi, discovered their father’s analysis for the 1st time.

“Today we reach out to share some personal Hanna Family members information. Health professionals have identified our father, Jack Hanna, with dementia, now thought to be Alzheimer’s illness. His problem has progressed substantially speedier in the very last couple months than any of us could have expected. Unfortunately, Father is no for a longer period ready to take part in general public existence as he made use of to, where by individuals all more than the globe viewed, learned and laughed together with him,” Kathaleen, Suzanne and Julie Hanna stated in a joint statement shared on their father’s X website page, previously Twitter.

Hanna, who is also known as “Jungle Jack,” served as director of the Columbus Zoo from 1978 to 1992.

He then took in excess of the position as its spokesperson, a role he retired from in 2020.

In addition to remaining a noteworthy figure in the state, Hanna also appeared on several television programs as a wildlife correspondent, bringing folks and animals alongside one another. 

He starred in “Animal Adventures,” “Into the Wild” and “Wild Countdown” and was regarded for his several appearances in excess of the decades on early morning talk reveals and late-night Television set, such as “The Late Show with David Letterman,” “Larry King Are living,” “The Ellen DeGeneres Demonstrate,” “Hollywood Squares” and “The Maury Present.”

In June 2023, Suzi, Kathaleen, Suzanne and Julie informed the Columbus Dispatch that Hanna’s situation experienced worsened to the position the place he was not able to bear in mind massive chunks of his existence, or even his family members.

They claimed that Hanna can only don’t forget Suzi, his canine Brassy, and, often, Kathaleen.

“My spouse is even now in there someplace,” Suzi advised the newspaper at the time.

“There are continue to those sweet, tender moments – you know, items of him that built me and the rest of the planet tumble in appreciate with him. It’s hard. Serious challenging some days. But he took care of me all individuals years, and so it’s my flip to get treatment of him.”

Suzi remains his main caretaker, with assistance from their children when they can make it to their parent’s property in Montana.

Their daughters reported they have begged Suzi to get skilled assist to aid in Hanna’s care, but she refuses, stating, “I just want it to be your dad and I for as extended as I can.”

“The river, the sunshine, Brassy, our walks… Which is what we have left. The Jack persons realized is not here anymore, but items of my partner are. And I’m going to hang onto them for as lengthy as I can.”