'We wish we had good news': Jack Hanna's family shares health update on celebrity zookeeper's Alzheimer’s diagnosis

Jack Hanna's family shared an update about the celebrity zookeeper's health and his ongoing battle with Alzheimer's disease in a statement shared with People magazine.

Also known as Jungle Jack, Hanna served as the former Director Emeritus of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium between 1978 and 1992. The celebrity zookeeper was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2019, and his condition has worsened ever since. In a recent statement, Hanna's family informed:

"We wish we had good news to share, but Jack continues to decline and has all the symptoms one would anticipate with advanced Alzheimer’s."

Jack Hanna's appearances on shows like James Corden, David Letterman, Good Morning America, and Maury Povich and his demonstrations with animals made him one of the biggest animal experts in America. He also starred in several animal-centric shows, such as Into the Wild, Animal Adventures, and Wild Countdown, which brought animals and humans closer together.

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Jack Hanna's family provides an update on his "advanced Alzheimer's" in a statement

Almost five years after initially being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, Jack Hanna's family has shared a statement with People magazine. The family revealed that they have no good updates to share as the 77-year-old's condition has continued to decline and is showing symptoms of what can be concluded as advanced Alzheimer's.

The family added:

"Each day, we do our best to find joy—even when things are challenging. We hope that sharing Jack’s diagnosis of Alzheimer’s brings awareness to the disease that affects almost 7 million Americans and their families."

Alzheimer's is the most common type of dementia that affects the brain's ability to think, recall, and perceive things. The disease generally progresses in three stages: early, middle, and late Alzheimer's.

In the medical community, 'late' Alzheimer's is also referred to as 'severe' or 'advanced' stage. In that condition, the person cannot respond to their immediate surroundings and fails to recall major life events.

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In a statement to The Columbus Dispatch in June 2023, Jack Hanna's wife, Suzi, and his daughters, Kathleen, Suzanne, and Julie, revealed that Hanna's Alzheimer's has progressed to the extent that he is unable to recall huge chunks of his life, even his family. According to them, Hanna can only remember Suzi, his dog Brassy, and sometimes Kathleen.

They confided that Suzi is Jack Hanna's main caretaker at their home in Montana. Despite their daughters' requests to seek professional help, Suzi has consistently refused, saying:

"My husband is still in there somewhere. There are still those sweet, tender moments – you know, pieces of him that made me and the rest of the world fall in love with him. It’s hard. Real hard some days. But he took care of me all those years, and so it’s my turn to take care of him."

Suzi, who has been married to Jack Hanna since 1968, ended the statement by explaining that the Jack Hanna people knew doesn't exist anymore, but bits of her husband still do. Thus, she would hold on to them as long as she could.

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Jack Hanna's daughters revealed their father's diagnosis with Alzheimer's via a letter in 2021

Jack Hanna was first diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2019, but his family came out to the public about his condition in a letter by the Columbia Zoo in April 2021.

In the letter, Hanna's daughters explained that their dad's condition had deteriorated more than they'd expected over the last few months. They wrote:

"Sadly, Dad is no longer able to participate in public life as he used to, where people all over the world watched, learned, and laughed alongside him."

His daughters also touched on his passion for wildlife and how he'd dedicated his entire life toward trying to make humans and animals live harmoniously. They added:

"He has spent his life connecting people and wildlife because he has always believed that having people see and experience animals is key to engaging them in more impactful conservation efforts."

The letter ended on a slightly lighter note:

"While Dad's health has deteriorated quickly, we can assure you that his great sense of humor continues to shine through. And yes – he still wears his khakis at home."

Jack Hanna received the Tom Mankiewicz Leadership Award for his exemplary work in conservation at the Los Angeles Zoo's annual Beastly Ball in 2018.