Billy Joel Promises Fans “I’m Okay” After Diagnosed With Brain Condition: “I’m Doing My Best”

For six decades, Billy Joel watched his talents on the stage and in the studio entertaining countless people around the world. His success as a songwriter even gained him the title “Piano Man” after his hit 1973 song. Although not looking to end his career just yet, Joel found himself struggling with a brain condition called normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH). Affecting his vision, hearing, and balance, the icon ended up canceling shows as a result. But not wanting fans to worry, he recently shared an update on his health. 

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Speaking with People, Joel admitted he knew how worried his fans were when they first learned about NPH. “I know a lot of people are worried about me and my health, but I’m okay. What I have is something very few people know about, including me, no matter how much you try to research it. I’m doing my best to work with it and to recover from it.”

While the condition affected his vision and hearing, Joel insisted that balance was the major hurdle. “It was like being on a boat all the time.” He continued, “It was scary, but I’m okay. I just wanted to let people know, don’t worry about me being deathly ill or anything.”

[RELATED: Billy Joel Once Revealed His Initial Feelings About the Success of “Piano Man”: “I Was Shocked and Embarrassed”] 

Billy Joel Apologizes To Fans For Canceled Shows

With Joel having to cancel all upcoming shows, the singer took a moment to apologize to his fans. “I’m sincerely sorry to disappoint our audience, and thank you for understanding.”

As for fans, they completely showered Joel and his family with love, well wishes, and support through the troubling time. The mountain of support was so great, the singer’s wife, Alexis Roderick, wrote, “We are so grateful for the wonderful care and swift diagnosis we received. Bill is beloved by so many, and to us, he is a father and husband who is at the center of our world. We are hopeful for his recovery. We look forward to seeing you all in the future.” 

Although needing to step away from the spotlight, fans can take a deep look into the singer’s life with the new HBO mini series, Billy Joel: And So It Goes. Nearly five hours long, the documentary shared insight into the singer’s struggle with mental health and how much he disliked being on camera. 

(Photo by Myrna M. Suarez/Getty Images)