David Cassidy, who rose to fame playing Keith Partridge on The Partridge Family, has spoken to People magazine to reveal his dementia diagnosis.
“I was in denial, but a part of me always knew this was coming,” the seventies heartthrob explained to the publication.
Sadly, the memory loss illness runs in his family with both his grandfather and mother also suffering from it.
“In the end, the only way I knew she recognised me is with one single tear that would drop from her eye every time I walked into the room. I feared I would end up that way,” David recalled of his mum’s deterioration.
Following the news of his condition, the singer will no longer be touring and instead be focusing on his well-being.
“I want to focus on what I am, who I am and how I’ve been without any distractions. I want to love. I want to enjoy life.”
David’s health news comes amidst a recent performance in Agoura Hills, California, where he forgot the lyrics to his hits.
In one cruel headline, gossip site TMZ went as far as labelling the incident as a “drunken performance.”
The cast of The Partridge Family, including David on the far right, back in 1973.
Since the musical series The Partridge Family wrapped in 1974, David went on to marry three times.
He shares daughter Katie Cassidy, 30, from a relationship with Sherry Williams Benedon, and also has a son, Beau Cassidy, 26, from his third wife Sue Shifrin.
His life has been marred with alcohol abuse and in 2014 he was ordered to check into rehab following his third DUI arrest.
“If I take another drink, I’m going to die, physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. I’m dead,” David explained to Piers Morgan during an interview with CNN at the time.
“You know, they say it’s a slippery slope. t’s not a slippery slope. It’s from 12:00 to 6:00 on the clock and the whole face is ice. One sip, one drink, because there is no such a thing, not to an alcoholic. You have one and you’re done. I’d be done.”
Our thoughts are wife David and his family during this time.
David was a teen heartthrob in the ’70s.
