Ronald Reagan announces he has Alzheimer’s disease, November 5, 1994
Despite his growing confusion and forgetfulness, the eighty-three-year-old Reagan is still alert enough to be aware of the fate that has befallen him. The world is still learning about Alzheimer’s, lumping it with terms like dementia and senility. Reagan takes pen to paper to tell the world: “I have recently been told that I am one of the millions of Americans who will be afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease. . . . In opening our hearts, we hope this might promote greater awareness of this condition. Perhaps it will encourage a clearer understanding of the individuals and families who are affected by it.”