94-year-old TONY BENNETT is battling Alzheimer's disease. He was actually diagnosed in 2016, but his wife Susan told People.com that the family decided to come forward now because he's, quote, "incapable of understanding the disease."
Tony can still recognize friends and family, and he's not experiencing some of the worst symptoms, like episodes of rage, terror, and depression.
But Susan says he's, quote, "not always sure where he is or what is happening around him, . . . [and] mundane objects as familiar as a fork or a set of house keys can be utterly mysterious to him."
Tony hasn't given up his career though, and his neurologist says music has, quote, "kept him on his toes and also stimulated his brain in a significant way." Tony actually went on tour in 2019, and he has dates lined up for this year, too.
Even though he wasn't able to perform in 2020, he keeps on rehearsing. His pianist comes over twice a week, and they run through a 90-minute set.
Susan says, quote, "Singing is everything to him. Everything. It has saved his life many times."