Phil Robertson, the 78-year-old star of Duck Dynasty and host of the Unashamed podcast, has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and an unspecified blood condition, according to his son, Jase Robertson.
Jase shared that his father has been ”really struggling” and expressed hope for a ”supernatural intervention” to help him through this difficult time.
A history of health struggles
We love Duck Dynasty for its laugh-out-loud moments, family values, and the Robertson clan’s relatable, no-nonsense charm. But over the years, the family has faced some tough health challenges. Uncle Si recently had lung surgery and Jase Robertson’s daughter, Mia, has also been incredibly brave, undergoing multiple surgeries for her cleft condition. Through it all, the Robertson family has shown strength and faith, reminding us why we love them so much.
But now, the Robertson family may now be facing their toughest challenge yet.
On the December 6 episode of the Unashamed with the Robertson Family podcast, Jase Robertson shared the heartbreaking news about his father Phil’s health struggles.
“Phil’s not doing well,” Jase revealed. ”I think I mentioned on the 1,000th podcast that we were trying to figure out the diagnosis. According to the doctors, he has some sort of blood disease causing all kinds of problems.”
Unable to go duck hunting
Despite his condition, Phil joined the family for a duck hunt just 10 days earlier, but it wasn’t the same.
“But my dad did not fire his weapon, nor did he say much,” Jase shared, his voice heavy with emotion. His father admitted to feeling “miserable” during the outing.
Charles Norfleet/FilmMagic
“If he’s unable to go duck hunting, that pretty much tells you all you need to know,” Jase added, underscoring how much the activity has always meant to his father.
Doctors remain hopeful about slowing the progression of Phil’s memory loss, Jase said, but the signs of decline are unmistakable.
He’s also been losing weight despite maintaining a good appetite.
Phil, 78, has been an integral part of the Unashamed podcast, but as his health declined, he became “unable to sit down and have a conversation,” Jase revealed.
Controversy during his time on Duck Dynasty
Phil appeared on Duck Dynasty throughout its run from 2012 to 2017.
Before Phil Robertson became the beloved patriarch of the Duck Dynasty family, he built Duck Commander from the ground up, transforming his love for hunting into a thriving multi-million-dollar business. Established in 1972, Duck Commander started as a small business built around a revolutionary duck call Phil invented, known as the Duck Commander call. Designed to perfectly mimic the sound of a real duck, it quickly became a game-changer in the hunting world.
Phil Robertson faced some controversy during his time on Duck Dynasty after making comments in an interview that sparked backlash, leading to a temporary suspension by the network.
”The ones who attacked me, I didn’t hold it against them,” Robertson told Fox News Digital at the time. ”They asked me about a particular sin, homosexual behavior, and whether I believed it was a sin. I thought to myself, that’s a strange question to ask someone, but I just quoted a Bible verse… I quoted what God had to say about that sin, along with nine others, and it was in the list of sins. As we were doing Duck Dynasty, the higher-ups at A&E decided to drop the axe on me without first looking into what actually happened.”
Inside his Christian values
The incident sparked a widespread debate among his supporters about free speech and censorship. Later, he addressed themes of faith and resilience in his book Uncanceled, where he shared insights on how to navigate cancel culture through the lens of Christian values.
”The Bible teaches us to love thy neighbor, even with their mistakes,” he shared.
Outside of TV fame, Phil has penned books, shared his powerful Christian testimony across the globe, and touched countless lives with his unfiltered wisdom and unwavering faith. In 2023, his remarkable journey was captured in The Blind, a film that chronicled his transformation from a troubled young man to a devoted family leader and spiritual icon.
“Dad is the most unashamed person I’ve ever known,” Phil’s son Al said, reflecting on his father’s impact. “And he’s now passed that legacy onto us.”
Flickr / Gage Skidmore
As Phil Robertson faces this incredibly tough time, let’s all send him our thoughts, prayers, and strength. He’s brought so much to so many of us, and now it’s our turn to stand by him and his family We’re all thinking of you, Phil, and your loved ones. Stay strong.
