Billy Joeldaughter of Alexa Ray Joel shared an update on the singer’s life after being diagnosed with a brain tumor about one year ago.
“He does physiotherapy regularly and he is doing well. He has lost weight as he eats his food,” Alexa, 40, told. The Hollywood Reporter in an interview published on Thursday, March 12. “I’m proud of him. He’s a tough, strong soldier and he’s determined to be healthy and active. He’s a fighter. He’s always been a fighter and he talks in his documentary about how life is like fighting.”
Billy, 76, announced in May 2025 that he was canceling “all scheduled concerts” due to being diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH).
NPH is “a brain disorder in which too much cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain’s arteries, which are fluid-filled chambers,” according to the Alzheimer’s Association. “As the ventricles of the brain expand with excess CSF, they can interfere with and damage nearby brain tissue, leading to difficulty walking, problems with thinking and thinking, and loss of bladder control.
Billy’s team revealed on Instagram at the time that NPH caused problems with “hearing, vision and balance,” which affected his performance. (Billy lost his balance and fell during a concert at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, in February 2025.)
“He is grateful for the support of the fans at this time and is looking forward to the day he will be on stage again,” continued his representatives.
Billy added in his statement, “I’m very sorry to disappoint our audience. Thank you for your understanding.”
Alexa reacted to her father’s diagnosis via Instagram shortly after the concert was cancelled.
“We love you and we got you, Pop! I wanted to thank you all for the wonderful outpouring of love and support amidst the recent news of my Dad’s health diagnosis,” she wrote. “My father is the strongest man I have ever known… and he is fully committed to a full recovery with continued treatment as he continues to regain his strength.”
Billy Joel’s wife, Alexis Roderick Joel, is speaking out about her husband’s recent mental illness diagnosis. “Thank you for the outpouring of love and support,” Alexis, 43, wrote on her husband’s official Instagram account on Monday, May 26. “We are so grateful for the amazing care and quick diagnosis we received. Bill is so loved […]
Billy returned to the stage in January after a year away to sing two songs at Wellington’s 30th birthday party in Florida.
“I wasn’t planning on working tonight,” he joked at the impromptu show.
Speaking of Billy’s performance, Alexa said THR“Once an actor, always a singer! But life comes first. I said, ‘If you’re going to sing again, please sit down at the piano. Don’t throw the microphone!'”
