“Not good.” That’s the raw truth Jase Robertson gives when people ask how his father, Duck Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson, is doing.
The Robertson family gave a sobering update on the April 2 episode of their Unashamed podcast, revealing the toll Alzheimer’s has taken—not just on Phil, but on everyone who loves him. With honesty and visible emotion, sons Jase and Al, along with their cousin Zach Dasher, spoke candidly about the steep decline in Phil’s health, both physically and mentally.
Jase didn’t sugarcoat it. “We’re making him comfortable and doing the best we can,” he said. “I think that’s just what you do.”
Phil, 78, was diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer‘s in late 2023, but the family says the symptoms have accelerated quickly. According to Fox News, son Willie Robertson had previously described a mix of complications including a back fracture, a blood disorder, and suspected mini-strokes—on top of the cognitive struggles brought on by Alzheimer’s.
Zach, who hadn’t seen Phil in a few months, was hit especially hard by the change. “I walked in, and it was like—whoa,” he admitted, holding back tears as he recounted seeing his once-vibrant uncle now struggling to remember basic things. “I just lost it,” he said. “It steals the memory of the one with the disease. But it also steals the memory of the caregiver… It’s hard to watch.”
The family has done everything right: top medical care, around-the-clock attention, and spiritual support. Still, the decline hasn’t stopped. And now, Miss Kay—Phil’s wife of over 60 years—is fighting her own battle. After a recent fall that led to a severe infection, she spent 11 days in the hospital and is now in rehab, slowly improving. However, the image of both parents in separate facilities, unable to be near each other, has shaken the entire family.
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Jase recalled a moment that both broke his heart and reminded him who his dad still is deep down. Phil, forgetting he no longer has a phone, asked him to tell Miss Kay to call. “He got his pen out to write down the message,” Jase said. “He didn’t want to forget.”
Moments like that cut deep. But they also reveal the humanity of Alzheimer’s—the confusion, the regression, the flickers of the old self peeking through the haze.
Through it all, the family holds onto what they call “the spark.” That unmistakable glimmer of recognition when Phil sees Miss Kay’s face on a video call. The way he still reaches for his Bible. The spirit they believe isn’t gone, just dimmed.
The Robertsons have never shied away from hard conversations, and this one is no exception. They’re not asking for pity—they’re asking for presence, for prayers, and for an honest reckoning with what Alzheimer’s really does to a family.
Phil Robertson spent decades preaching truth. Now, his loved ones are living it—day by day, with faith, grief, and a fierce kind of love that refuses to give up.
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