"He's in good spirits": Rex Hunt's devastating diagnosis
AFL legend Rex Hunt has been diagnosed with dementia, with his family sharing that they are giving him "love and support" through the difficult time.
Hunt's family shared the news of his diagnosis to the Herald Sun, with his wife Lynne saying they are going through a difficult time, but are rallying together.
“Rex has recently been diagnosed with dementia,” Hunt’s wife Lynne said.
“We are dealing with this as a family and are giving him love and support."
“He is fit and in good spirits and looking forward to going fishing again soon."
“Thousands of families around Australia have loved ones living with dementia and we are no different from any of them."
“We are so very grateful for the constant support of Rex’s doctors and our friends.”
In September, Hunt returned to a private care facility as his mental health issues, a result of his recent diagnosis with bipolar depression, continued to deteriorate.
The 74-year-old has received an influx of messages of support from prominent sporting figures, including from long-time friend Sam Newman.
On Newman's You Cannot Be Serious podcast, he shared a message for Hunt, saying, “It is a thing that grabs people at various stages of their life.”
“I have been out to see Rex a couple of times and he is up and down in his mental acuity, but if he gets his meds right he is fine, so we wish him well."
“We wish him well, we really do, because he had been – probably still is – a very great contributor to entertainment.”
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