Alexa Ray Joel offered heartwarming support for her dad Billy Joel following the announcement that he has been diagnosed with a brain disorder.
“We love you and we got you, Pop! I just wanted to thank you all for the beautiful outpouring of love and support amid the recent news of My Father’s health diagnosis,” Alexa Ray, 39, wrote via Instagram on Saturday, May 24. “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.”
Alexa Ray quoted her father’s classic 1993 song “Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)” while thanking his fans from all over the world for their supportive social media messages.
“The genuine care, empathy, and concern from everyone means so much to him… it means a lot to me, too,” she concluded. “‘Someday We’ll All Be Gone / But Lullabies Go On And On / They Never Die / That’s How You And I Will Be.’ The music continues… ”
The “Piano Man” singer, 76, announced via Instagram on Friday, May 23, that he was cancelling “all scheduled concerts” due to being diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH).
NPH is a “brain disorder in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain’s ventricles, which are fluid-filled chambers,” according to the Alzheimer’s Association. “As brain ventricles enlarge with the excess CSF, they can disrupt and damage nearby brain tissue, leading to difficulty walking, problems with thinking and reasoning, and loss of bladder control.”
Billy’s team explained via Instagram that NPH has caused “problems with hearing, vision, and balance,” which impacted other recent live performances. His doctors have now recommended that Billy stop performing while he undergoes “specific physical therapy.” (Joel last performed at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut in February.)
“He is grateful for the support from fans during this time and looks forward to the day when he can once again take to the stage,” his representatives said.
Billy added in his own statement, “I’m sincerely sorry to disappoint our audience. Thank you for understanding.”
In total, Billy cancelled 17 concerts that were supposed to take place in both the U.S. and England throughout the rest of the year. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee previously postponed multiple summer stadium concerts in March. At the time, Billy’s team simply said he was dealing with a “medical condition” and that “health must come first,” but stressed that the musician was “expected to make a full recovery.”
“I look forward to getting back on stage and sharing the joy of live music with our amazing fans. Thank you for your understanding.,” the musician said in March.
Last summer, Billy ended his historic run of headlining Madison Square Garden in New York City with his 150th lifetime performance at the venue. He performed his final residency show at Madison Square Garden on July 25, 2024, where he was joined on stage by Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose.
“Everybody in the world knows when you play The Garden, it’s not just New York,” Billy said at the time. “To our audience, I want to thank them for coming to our shows for this long. It’s hard to end, even at 150 lifetime shows. I just want to thank everyone for the wonderful thing that’s happened here.”
