Billy Joel's ex Christie Brinkley and daughter break silence on singer's brain disorder
'We all want you back in that white hot spotlight, you’re OUR piano man'
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Following the revelation that he is suffering from a rare brain disorder, Billy Joel’s ex-wife Christie Brinkley and daughter Alexa Ray Joel are sending their love and support to the Piano Man.
Last week, Joel announced he was suffering fromnormal pressure hydrocephalus, or NPH.
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According to the Alzheimer’s Association, NPH is a brain disorder in which excess fluid accumulates in the brain’s ventricles, causing thinking and reasoning problems, difficulty walking, and loss of bladder control.
Joel, who recently turned 76, announced in March he was postponing all of his upcoming shows due to “a medical condition.”
“Dear Billy, the whole Brinkley gang is sending you lots of love and good wishes for a full and speedy recovery,” the 71-year-old supermodel wrote in the Instagram caption alongside a video of her and daughter Sailor Brinkley Cook dancing at one of singer’s concerts. “I was looking for some cute photos of you and Alexa to send you, when I came across this clip from a recent concert. It made me laugh … but it also reminded me of all the joy you create, and all the sensational sing-alongs you’ve (led). You turn an arena of strangers into a living room full of friends as we all sway in unison.”
Brinkley, who was married to the musician from 1985 to 1994, urged Joel to “take good care” of himself as he embarks on his road to recovery.
“We all want you back in that white hot spotlight, you’re OUR piano man. And we’re always in the mood for your melodies and we all hope you’re feeling alright! We Love You, the kids, me and an arena or two!”
Joel’s daughter Alexa Ray, whom he shares with Brinkley, also shared a heartfelt message to her dad with her Instagram followers.
“My Dad is the strongest and most resilient man I’ve ever known… and he’s entirely committed to making a full recovery with ongoing physical-therapy treatments as he continues to regain his strength. The genuine care, empathy, and concern from everyone means so much to him… it means a lot to me, too,” she wrote in part.
She ended her post with lyrics from Joel’s song Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel) — a track he wrote for Alexa Ray that featured on his 1993 album River of Dreams.
In a statement posted to his official Instagram, Joel said his battle with NPH worsened after recent live shows, “leading to problems with hearing, vision, and balance.”
Joel has a care plan in place, and is hopeful he’ll be able to perform again, but he has been told by his doctors that he needs to “refrain from performing during this recovery period.”
“Billy is thankful for the excellent care he is receiving and is fully committed to prioritizing his health,” his statement read. “He is grateful for the support from fans during this time and looks forward to the day when he can once again take the stage.”
Joel — who is also a dad to daughters Della Rose Joel, 9, and Remy Anne Joel, 7, with wife Alexis Roderick — added, “I’m sincerely sorry to disappoint our audience and thank you for understanding.”
According to Hydrocephalus Canada, NPH is often misdiagnosed as Alzheimer’s, dementia or Parkinson’s disease. “A delayed diagnosis can be devastating and cause irreversible brain damage,” the group said.
All of the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer’s upcoming concerts have been cancelled, including a date at Toronto’s Rogers Centre that was scheduled to take place next March.
After announcing in March he was postponing shows in Toronto, Detroit, Syracuse, Salt Lake City, Milwaukee, Charlotte and the U.K., Joel was set to return to the stage in July with shows planned well into next year.
The father of three sparked concern in February when he took a tumble during a concert in Connecticut while performing his 1980 classic It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me.
But Joel bounced back up and continued on with the remainder of his performance.
Roderick, 43, also addressed her husband’s health amid his recent diagnosis as she thanked his fans for their “love and support.”
“We are so grateful for the wonderful care and swift diagnosis we received. Bill is beloved by so many, and to us, he is father and husband who is at the center of our world,” she shared via Joel’s official Instagram account on Monday. “We are hopeful for his recovery. We look forward to seeing you all in the future.”
Earlier this month, Roderick said her husband was “doing well” but added that going forward his “health has to take priority, and things have to get postponed.”
“With the exception of COVID, he’s been working every two weeks for 15-plus years,” Roderick said in an interview with Fox News. “And it’s a lot. At 75, 76, there comes a time where you can’t always plan out everything you need to do a year and a half in advance … But really, in the grand scheme of things, he’s a healthy person, and he’s well and working on himself, trying to get better and do what he has to do medically. So it’s important, you know, we need him around so he has to do what he has to do.”
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