Some unfortunate news this week out of the world of reality television.
Phil Robertson — the patriarch of the family behind the wildly popular series Duck Dynasty, which may be coming back with a reboot — has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
This, according to his sons.
“I think I spoke on the 1000th podcast, we were trying to figure out the diagnosis, but according to the doctors, he has some sort of blood disease causing all kinds of problems,” Jase Robertson told listeners, citing a second health affliction for his father.
Al Robertson, meanwhile, added that Phil has had the blood disease for years, although it has recently accelerated.
“We’ve got a team of doctors, and then we have another set of doctors who are looking at all the tests, and they’re all in agreement that there’s no curing what he has,” Jase said.
It’s unclear what the future holds for Phil, but fans will likely hear from him again.
Heck, Robertson wants to contribute to his family’s aforementioned podcast at some point down the line.
“I’m like, ‘Well Phil, you can barely walk around without crying out in pain, and your memory is not what it once was.’ He’s like, ‘Tell me about it.’ So he is literally unable to — I think he would agree — to just sit down and have a conversation,” Jase said.
But that doesn’t mean Phil Robertson is out of the spotlight for good.
Especially if Duck Dynasty comes back, as teased a few days ago by Willie Robertson.
“The time [is] right… met with the family, prayed about it, and said, ‘Yeah, I think so,” Willie previously told Tucker Carlson.
Duck Dynasty premiered on A&E on March 21, 2012, and ran for 11 seasons, concluding its run on April 5, 2017.
The series centered on the Robertson family and their West Monroe, Louisiana business, Duck Commander, which makes products for duck hunters.
In the wake of this medical reveal, various fans flocked to social media to send their thoughts and prayers to the Robertson family.
“Praise God for men like your grandad who are such faithful patriarchs, who impact generations to come,” wrote one person in response to Sadie Robertson’s online message. “Your family is a walking testimony of that. Thank you for sharing and praying for him and your entire family.”
Another person commented:
“You and Paw Paw Phil make us proud to be from Louisiana and more importantly, proud to be people of faith. To this day I still say it was one of the best shows we’ve ever seen on TV. Never be afraid to speak about the importance God had in your family’s lives. May God continue to grant your family peace and strength in this difficult time.”