Hearts Break for Famed Zookeeper Jack Hanna as Family Shares Devastating Update

Three years after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, beloved zookeeper Jack Hanna’s family is sharing an update on his condition.

While talking with People, Hanna’s family admitted that they wished they “had good news to share.” Unfortunately, his family continued revealing Hanna’s condition “continues to decline and has all the symptoms one would anticipate with advanced Alzheimer’s.”

Despite how difficult things have gotten for Hanna, the family says “each day, we do our best to find joy – even when things are challenging.” 

Hanna’s family hopes that their openness about the famed zookeeper’s battle with Alzheimer’s will bring “awareness to the disease that affects almost 7 million Americans and their families.”

Ten months ago, Hanna allowed The Columbus Dispatch a look into his life. Now living in Montana with his family, it was revealed at the time that the zookeeper only now remembers his dog, his wife, and occasionally remembers his oldest daughter, Kathaleen.

“In a sense, it’s almost the shell of Jack because no longer is that mind in tact. Now it’s the physical jack, but at lest I still have my physical Jack and I treasure that,” Suzi shared.

He and his wife Suzi also shared a second daughter, Julie.

“Over the years I’ve been so blessed being married to Jack,” Suzi told The Dispatch. “I mean I’ve had a life that I never would have dreamed of for sure. We traveled the world.”

And although the zookeeper no longer has the memories of their beautiful life together, Suzi says she remembers them. “The one thing that doesn’t go away are the beautiful memories. They’re the gifts.”

“Our life has completely changed,” Suzi continued. “Now, I would say we have a very, very simple life.”

But even thought their life is simple now, they are still “so fortunate.”