It’s sad news indeed for fans of David Cassidy, the troubled actor, and son of Jack Cassidy, as it was announced the entertainer is close to death in Florida now.
Cassidy – who publicly discussed his dementia diagnosis in February on The Dr. Phil Show – was placed into an induced coma, with “multiple organ failures,” meaning his body is shutting down. The move came after two months of not feeling well, publicists said.
The hugely popular TV show The Partridge Family ran from 1970 to 1974 and featured Cassidy’s real-life then-stepmother, Shirley Jones. Almost instantly becoming a worldwide teen heartthrob – a mantle he wanted desperately to dismiss as he grew older, but which followed him everywhere – Cassidy’s fame catapulted him into international stardom.
He never achieved greater success in show business than during his days as Keith Partridge and did several tries at alcohol and drug rehab following numerous arrests as he grew older. Back when he toured the globe while still performing in the TV show and producing albums – both related to and separate from the show – Cassidy was so mobbed at his concerts that some said he needed more security than the Beatles at the height of his success.
His battles with alcohol and drug addiction undoubtedly led to his liver and kidney impairment, which doctors recently said would require immediate transplants for both organs in order for Cassidy to survive. But transplant patients are often rejected if they have ongoing substance abuse issues because the chances of success become dramatically slimmer in those situations.
Celebrity gossip reports are now saying the actor is going “in and out of consciousness.”
A tearful Cassidy told Dr. Phil earlier this year that he’d gone in to get checked for dementia after friends told him he was repeating himself often. The condition is often genetic, and both his mother Evelyn Ward, also an actress, and his grandfather, had been troubled by the disorder.
After falling during a concert in February, Cassidy decided to come out about the seriousness of what was happening on that Dr. Phil segment.
Cassidy’s family is reportedly by his side and saying their goodbyes, as his global fan base is undoubtedly doing in their social media feeds as well.
We think we love you, David Cassidy.
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