Billy Joel's First Wife Addresses His Brain Disorder Diagnosis

Billy Joel is still rock and roll to Elizabeth Weber.

Over forty years since their divorce, the former wife of the “Uptown Girl” singer shared uncommon perspectives about their nine-year marriage, pointing out that his achievements in life were something she had always anticipated.

At the premier of “Billy Joel: And So It Goes” during the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City on June 4, Elizabeth shared an exclusive statement with TopMob News. She said, “Throughout his entire life, he’s been incredibly dedicated to his work. During our time working together, I’ve never encountered anyone more diligent than him.

Although the Grammy winner was unable to attend the red carpet event due to his recent diagnosis with normal pressure hydrocephalus, his ex-partner joined others in sending their well wishes to both him and his wife, Alexis Joel.

Elizabeth expressed her desire for him to regain his health so he can savor his life, his wife, and his kids. She believes this is something he deserves. Essentially, her primary concern is his recovery.” (For more from the Tribeca Film Festival, catch up with TopMob News tonight, June 5 at 11 p.m.))

Despite having gone separate ways back in 1982 when they were both 76 years old, Elizabeth continues to admire Billy’s music, even if she can’t pinpoint a particular favorite song of his.

“There’s too many of them,” she explained, “and they’re all marvelous.”

So it’s no surprise to her that fans still can’t get enough of his vast selection of hits.

Elizabeth added, ‘A person might watch him from the crowd and think, “I could be up there,”‘ implying that not everyone may become a nameless singer-pianist, but many believe they could have such a role.

Regarding Billy, father to Della Rose (9 years old), Remy (7 years old), and Alexa Ray (39 years old) from different relationships (with Alexis for the younger two and Christie Brinkley for the eldest), he recently made public that he’s canceling all his scheduled tour dates due to a health issue called normal pressure hydrocephalus, where excess fluid accumulates in the skull.

Apologies for any letdown, dear audience,” the musician conveyed in an Instagram-shared press release back in May. “Your understanding is greatly appreciated.

Keep reading to see other stars who’ve spoken out about their health.

In April 2025, a former cast member of “Beverly Hills, 90210” shared that he was recuperating following an operation due to his appendix being close to rupturing.

A week ago, Brian shared in an Instagram post that he began experiencing abdominal discomfort. This led him to visit the emergency room where they discovered a perforated appendix, not yet fully ruptured.

He added, “I’m on the road to recovery. It’s not an easy process. This is my first major surgery.”

11-year-old Adam Devine was struck by a cement truck, an incident that left lasting impacts on him up until the present day.

2025 found me in a state of turmoil, as I confided to Graham Bensinger during our podcast conversation. My body has been plagued with unrelenting spasms that have left me feeling utterly bewildered. For a stretch of time, the doctors had me believing my days were numbered—quite literally, within the past year.

He mentioned that pain occasionally appears and disappears, also expressing, “There seems to be several minor issues with my body that aren’t quite right.

Previously part of Bachelor Nation, this individual disclosed that he had to visit the hospital by crawling on his hands and knees as a result of intense lower back pain, which became exacerbated during a camping trip with a companion in an RV.

Currently, from the tips of my toes up to my knees, there’s an odd tingling sensation happening, which is quite surprising, he explained during a March 2025 episode of his Trading Secrets podcast. To give you some context, let me clarify that just a few weeks or even a month ago, I was doing squats with around 295 pounds. However, at this moment, I can’t perform a single-leg squat; I’d topple over if I tried. It feels as though I’ve experienced some sort of stroke or similar condition.

But with the help of a back specialist and some steroids, he added, “We’re on the mend.”

In a game played in December 2024, an AHL player got 25 stitches after being sliced by another player’s skate. Later, when the player was completely healed, his father, who is the general manager of the New Jersey Devils (Tom Fitzgerald), expressed gratitude to ESPN, stating “We consider ourselves fortunate. I wouldn’t wish that experience on any parent.

In March 2025, Gina Kirschenheiter from The Real Housewives of Orange County revealed that her former spouse, Matt Kirschenheiter, had experienced a heart attack. Fortunately, he managed to pull through this challenging situation.

In March 2025, during a New York Knicks basketball match, the prominent figure from 30 Rock was unexpectedly taken ill. Consequently, he was transported out of Madison Square Garden in a stretcher.

On the next day, the comedian posted an update on social media explaining that it was actually food poisoning he had experienced, and he was now recovering well.

Back in February 2025, the former star of “Even Stevens” revealed that she had been accidentally shot in the face during a trip to celebrate her husband Brendan Rooney’s birthday by shooting clay pigeons.

At the event, another person mistakenly discharged their weapon recklessly and it struck me in the face. Without hesitation, @thebrendanrooney took charge, evaluated my condition, and swiftly transported me to the hospital. I sustained injuries in five locations; a spot was barely an inch away from hitting my right eye directly.

The former star of “Kim Possible” added, “Regrettably, a piece became stuck at the back of my eye, and it’s not safe for surgery right now. Medical professionals are keeping a close watch on me as I can see fine currently.

She expressed her profound gratitude for being alive, stating, “I hold my dear daughters, husband, family, and friends with immense affection.” She went on to recount how she had a glimpse of her life’s journey and strongly urged everyone to seize any opportunity to embrace the people around them. Life, she warned, can shift dramatically in the blink of an eye.

In Amy Schumer’s own words, the internet, which can sometimes be unkind, surprisingly proved helpful in her case by providing answers. Speaking on Call Her Daddy in January 2025, she recounted her experience with a swollen face during interviews: “The internet was really harsh after I did a lot of press, and I was like, ‘Alright everyone, calm down,'” she said. However, medical professionals started commenting and suggested she might have Cushing syndrome due to abnormal facial features. Amy jokingly added, “I’m getting trolled by doctors?”

After receiving comments from these doctors about potential Cushing syndrome caused by high cortisol levels or steroid injections, Amy realized that she had been undergoing such treatments for her scars following a breast reduction and C-section. She then understood that the steroids given for her scars had led to Cushing syndrome, a condition she wouldn’t have known about if not for the intense online scrutiny.

Now, Amy is grateful for this unexpected turn of events: “Finding out I have the type of Cushing that will resolve itself and I’m healthy was the best news ever,” she wrote in her February 2024 News Not Noise newsletter.

Hailey Bieber underwent a terrifying ordeal when she experienced symptoms similar to a stroke during breakfast with her husband Justin Bieber in March 2022. As she struggled to respond and speak, her face began to droop on one side. Despite the temporary resolution of these issues, Hailey decided to visit the hospital for a check-up.

Doctors discovered a small blood clot in her brain, which they diagnosed as a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA). Further investigation at the University of California, Los Angeles revealed that Hailey had a hole in her heart called a patent foramen ovale (PFO), through which the blood clot had escaped and traveled to her brain.

Hailey underwent a successful PFO closure procedure and is now feeling well. She explained that the blood clot had formed inside her heart, passed through the hole, and caused the TIA.

In the same year Hailey went through her health issue, Justin also encountered one of his own. Specifically, in June 2022, Justin Bieber shared that he was diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt Syndrome. This condition temporarily paralyzed parts of his face and compelled him to cancel the rest of his Justice World Tour. In an Instagram video at the time, he explained that this virus affected the nerve in his ear and facial nerves, resulting in full paralysis on one side of his face. He was unable to blink one eye, smile on that side of his face, or move his nostril. Eating became progressively difficult for him, but the paralysis eventually subsided. Hailey mentioned on a June 2022 episode of Good Morning America that Justin is currently doing well and feeling much better after experiencing a terrifying and seemingly random health event. She expressed her relief that he’s on the mend.

Initially, Jamie Foxx chose not to disclose much about his hospitalization in April 2023. However, during his 2024 Netflix special titled “What Had Happened Was…”, he shared his experiences. On a particular day in Atlanta, the Academy Award winner complained of severe headache and asked for an aspirin. Before receiving it, he lost consciousness and couldn’t recall the next 20 days.

A doctor initially administered him a cortisone shot and sent him home, but his sister, Deidra Dixon, sensing something was wrong, drove him to another hospital. They found that Foxx had suffered a brain bleed leading to a stroke. After an operation on the 20th day, he woke up in a wheelchair unable to walk. He then moved to Chicago for rehabilitation and therapy.

“I just want to express my gratitude for every prayer,” he said, “as I truly felt their impact during those challenging times.

In 2019, Emilia Clarke, who is known for her role in Game of Thrones, published an essay titled “A Battle for My Life” in The New Yorker. In the piece, she described an incident that occurred at the gym where she suffered a severe headache, vomited profusely, and felt increasingly painful sensations in her head. She suspected that her brain was injured.

She was rushed to the hospital for a scan, and the results revealed that she had experienced a subarachnoid hemorrhage, a life-threatening type of stroke caused by bleeding in the space surrounding the brain. The Emmy nominee explained that she had an aneurysm, or arterial rupture.

Emilia underwent immediate surgery to seal the aneurysm, which she described as unbearably painful. During her recovery, she experienced aphasia and found herself uttering nonsensical words. A week later, the aphasia passed, and she was discharged from the hospital a month after admission.

In 2013, a follow-up scan showed that a growth had doubled in size, necessitating another surgery. She recalled waking up after the procedure in pain, as it had failed and she had a massive bleed. The doctors informed her that her chances of survival were precarious if they did not operate again. This time, they accessed her brain through her skull.

Fortunately, Emilia is now reportedly at 100%.

Cori Broadus, Snoop Dogg’s daughter, expresses her gratitude towards her family after experiencing a severe stroke in January 2024. When she informed them about her condition, they rushed to her aid immediately. As she had additional health issues, her hospital stay extended beyond her initial expectations. She explained, “I could have gone home after my stroke, but my lupus wasn’t doing well. My kidneys were failing, so there was a lot going on.” Currently, Cori is making progress in her recovery and stated, “I’m doing great. I just had to work on regaining some motor skills, but otherwise, I was fine.

In the early years of her twenties, Shailene Woodley experienced numerous health issues, which were quite challenging for her. At one point, she began losing her hearing, found it difficult to walk without needing long periods of rest, and experienced frequent stomach pain with almost every meal. She was diagnosed with a complex set of conditions by different doctors, leading to confusion.

To seek solutions, Shailene turned to alternative healing methods due to her background in holistic studies and herbalism. She collaborated with both traditional medical professionals and independent healers in search of relief. This journey took approximately ten years, during which she also grappled with a range of physical discomfort-related mental health issues such as fear of food, body dysmorphia, identity confusion, and feelings of insecurity about her own body.

After focusing on improving both her physical and mental well-being, Shailene now feels much better. She shared that her health issues eventually resolved themselves, leaving her in good health today.

2025-06-06 00:17

Billy Joel’s First Wife Addresses His Brain Disorder Diagnosis

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