Jack Hanna, Columbus Zoo's Director Emeritus, has dementia, his daughters say
Sheridan Hendrix, The Columbus Dispatch
Jack Hanna talks about the 40 years he's been with the Columbus Zoo.
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Jack Hanna has been diagnosed with dementia, now believed to be Alzheimer's disease, Hanna's three daughters announced in a letter published Wednesday.
Now, Hanna's daughters — Kathaleen, Suzanne and Julie — say their dad is unable to participate in public life like he once did as his condition has severely worsened in the last few months.
"A passion for wildlife conservation and education has been at the core of who our dad is and everything he has accomplished with the help of so many," the Hannas wrote. "He spent his life connecting people and wildlife because he has always believed that having people see and experience animals is key to engaging them in more impactful conservation efforts.