Michael Irvin has been married to his wife Sandy for over 30 years, having three children together. Sadly, the Playmaker recently revealed a tragic diagnosis for his better half.
Speaking to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Irvin revealed that Sandy has is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. She’s been dealing with it for over five years, with the disease keeping her from walking or even speaking. Sandy currently requires a live-in caretaker and 24-hour care.
However, Irvin made a point of saying that he will not put his wife in a nursing home.
“If anyone has earned the right to stay in her house, MY WIFE HAS!!!,” Irvin said told the outlet. “That I shall honor. No matter what it takes.”
Irvin and Sandy have been together since his college days at the University of Miami. They first met in the 1980s and have been married since 1990.
While Alzheimer’s is most known for affecting the elderly, early-onset Alzheimer’s can occur in adults as young as 30. Per the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, around 110 out of every 100,000 adults between ages 30 and 64 have young-onset Alzheimer’s.
Unfortunately, the prognosis of someone with Alzheimer’s can be rather short, ranging from just eight years to a little more than a decade.
We wish the Irvin family all the best during this difficult time.