Share and Follow
Phil Robertson has been struck by a spate of severe health issues, including Alzheimer’s and a blood disease, but his family is rallying around and supporting him during this most difficult of times, a source exclusively tells In Touch.
“They want to give him the best life they possibly can under the circumstances and check in on him often and take him out for drives in the woods to reminisce about the good old days and make sure he’s getting the best care,” the insider says.
“Everyone is worried. His mental capacity has diminished due to early on-set Alzheimer’s, and he’s got a blood disorder that they believe is causing mini strokes.”
Jace Robertson broke the news on their podcast “Unashamed with the Robertson Family” that his dad, 78, is in the “early stages of Alzheimer’s” and is “unable to sit down and have a conversation,” back in December 2024.
“It’s like accelerated, and it’s causing problems with his entire body. And he has early stages of Alzheimer’s. So, if you put those things together, he’s really not doing well. He’s struggling,” the Duck Dynasty star, 46, added.
Phil’s other son, Willie Robertson, told Fox News Digital, his father is “battling a lot of different things right now,” adding, “It could be some stroke stuff happening, that has happened. So, we’re still checking on all that. But then he also has a back issue, he’s fractured his back and that’s where the pain’s at.
“Phil also has excruciating back pain after fracturing his back,” the insider confirms.
Willie also said that in Phil’s day-to-day life, it’s this back pain that has the worst effect on him and causes him the most grief, “especially in any situation where he’s getting up from the seated position or laying position,” he added. “[It’s] super stressful for him, too, and very painful.”

To make matters worse, Phil suffers from an enlarged spleen, which is pushing on his stomach and killing his appetite, causing even more problems and hurting his chances at recovery. Meanwhile, the blood disease is causing his blood to thicken, which is likely leading to the mini strokes and psychological issues. “Physically, guy’s a mess,” the insider says, “but he’s got the spirit of an eagle.”
Phil, with the rest of his family, rose to fame from the stunning popularity of Duck Dynasty, which ran from 2012 to 2017. They’ve remained active after their show went off air with their podcast and the 2023 documentary, The Blind.
Throughout the series, viewers could see how close the family members were to each other, which makes Phil’s hardship all the more difficult for his kids. “We’ve seen many doctors and are just getting the best care we can and best things that we can and trying to figure out what’s next,” Willie said, adding, “In these times, that’s where the faith component really steps up.”
“This is what we’re about, this is what he’s living for and for the hope that there’s something beyond. And so, and he’s definitely a testament to that, even where he’s at in life right now.”
“It’s hard on the whole family and no one knows how much time Phil’s got left, but they’re making every moment count.”