Ryan Libbey has opened up about his fears of developing Alzheimer’s after the disease affected two of his grandparents. The Made in Chelsea star, 36, lost his grandfather, Tom, a former Marine and international athlete, to the illness in 2015. Tom was 80 when he died, leaving a lasting impact on Ryan, who described him as a hero and an important male role model.
Ryan’s grandmother, Christine, 85, now lives with Alzheimer’s in its most advanced stages. He recently spoke about the emotional toll of watching both grandparents face the disease. Their experiences have also raised concerns about his own future and the possibility of developing the same condition.
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The fitness enthusiast is preparing to run the New York Marathon next month. He hopes to raise £25,000 for the Alzheimer’s Society through the challenging event. Ryan says his grandparents’ experiences inspired him to support the charity and help raise awareness about the condition.
During an interview, Ryan described his grandmother’s current condition and admitted that her illness has become increasingly difficult to witness. He said he hesitated to describe her situation as the final stage because the phrase sounded negative and fatalistic. However, he acknowledged that her condition had reached a point where further deterioration seemed difficult to imagine.
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Ryan also shared his memories of Tom, whom he regarded as his first male role model. He recalled his grandfather’s service as a Marine and his achievements as an international athlete. Those memories, alongside Christine’s diagnosis, have shaped his connection with the charity and deepened his concern about Alzheimer’s.
Ryan shares his four-year-old son, Leo, with his fiancée, Louise Thompson. He admitted that one of his greatest fears involves losing his memory and eventually failing to recognise his own child. However, the Alzheimer’s Society explains that the disease is not inherited in more than 99 out of every 100 cases, offering important context for people worried about their family history.
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