Barbara Walters Is a 'Shadow' of Her Former Self, Things Get Worse When the News Comes on TV: Report
Editor’s Note: Our readers responded strongly to this story when it originally ran; we’re reposting it here in case you missed it.
Former media star and TV news anchorwoman Barbara Walters is suffering from dementia and is “close to the end,” according to RadarOnline.com.
Walters, 93, is a recluse in her New York City apartment who must use a wheelchair and has not been seen in public since 2016, the outlet reported Oct. 27, citing unidentified sources.
“Barbara is fading a little more every day,” one said. “She’s close to the end and her team is scrambling to manage affairs just the way Barbara would want them.
“Sadly, her dementia has been getting worse. … Barbara is just a shadow of her [former self]. She often doesn’t remember what day it is, or who her famous friends and former colleagues are.”
Walters was once a one-woman media powerhouse, breaking numerous glass ceilings in the television news business.
She eventually worked for all three networks, starting with CBS and NBC.
Later, on ABC, she became the first woman to co-anchor a network evening newscast. At one point she was reportedly the highest-paid newscaster in history.
Walters hosted many other shows, including “Today” and “20/20.” But she is perhaps best known for her many TV interviews of public figures such as political leaders Fidel Castro and Anwar Sadat as well as entertainers, including Barbra Streisand and John Wayne.
She was the creator of the long-running left-leaning TV talk show “The View” and co-hosted the show for years.
Current “View” co-host Whoopi Goldberg gave a shout-out to Walters when she turned 93 in September.
“To the one and only Barbara Walters, who had a birthday yesterday, we wanna say, 27 never looked so good!” Goldberg joked Sept. 26.
Walters’ work has continued to be remembered and referenced by news organizations.
Barbara Walters releases statement on the death of former Cuban leader Fidel Castro, whom she interviewed twice https://t.co/qA5sMAicKp pic.twitter.com/GgziGw6cbB
— ABC News (@ABC) November 26, 2016
Dementia might have robbed Walters of some of her memories, but she still apparently remembers her television career.
A source told RadarOnline.com that she becomes restless when she sees TV news broadcasts.
“When the news comes on, [Walters] gets extremely agitated because she’s convinced she’s supposed to be there reporting the stories!”
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