What illness did Ryan O’Neal have?
LEGENDARY actor Ryan O'Neal, best known for the 1970 tearjerker Love Story, fought against cancer for two decades.
Ryan O'Neal was first diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia and later with prostate cancer, before ultimately passing away in December 2023.
What illness did Ryan O'Neal have?
The charmingly boyish actor suffered from multiple health issues, starting in 2001 with chronic myelogenous leukemia.
The cancer typically affects older adults.
It's a slowly progressing and uncommon type of blood-cell cancer that begins in the bone marrow.
O'Neal spokeswoman Dede Binder in 2001 that "he has chronic leukemia. It is treatable and he is doing very well."
She added that the diagnosis was not life-threatening and O'Neal had already undergone treatment, but the spokeswoman stopped short of elaborating on the kind of treatment O'Neal had been receiving.
The actor also had been diagnosed with Stage 2 prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in America, affecting some 240,000 men every year.
In a statement obtained by , in 2012, the actor revealed: “Recently I was diagnosed with Stage 2 prostate cancer."
Most read in Celebrity
"Although I was shocked and stunned by the news, I feel fortunate that it was detected early and according to my extraordinary team of doctors the prognosis is positive for a full recovery."
“I am deeply grateful for the support of my friends and family during this time, and I urge everyone to get regular check-ups, as early detection is the best defense against this horrible disease that has afflicted so many,” he added.
On Friday, December 8, 2023, O'Neal died at the age of 82.
His son Patrick , writing: "So this is the toughest thing I’ve ever had to say but here we go."
"My dad passed away peacefully today, with his loving team by his side supporting him and loving him as he would us."
According to a death certificate obtained by , the actor died of “congestive heart failure.”
Was his health deteriorating?
Close friends of O'Neal revealed to RadarOnline.com that “Ryan’s deteriorated to the point where it’s beyond hiding".
“He’s lost weight and seems so frail and can’t walk without the help of a cane," a source told the outlet.
O’Neal had battled a plethora of ailments and diseases, including cancer, diabetes, leukemia, a bad heart, a wrecked shoulder, and sepsis, according to the news agency.
What's more, the emotional toll of losing the love of his life – actress Farrah Fawcett – from anal cancer in 2009 had also attributed to his declining health.
“Besides stumbling out to the beach to watch the sunset, he doesn’t have anything to look forward to,” the source said.
“Acting and Farrah were his two passions in life and they’re both gone.”
What happened between him and Farrah Fawcett?
Actress Farrah's relationship with O'Neal was anything but fairytale.
She became an international sex symbol in the 1970s for her famous swimsuit poster and her role as one of a trio of female private detectives on the hit television show, Charlie’s Angels.
The pair had an off-and-on relationship that spanned three decades and produced a son, Redmond O'Neal, in 1985.
They rekindled their relationship shortly before Fawcett died from cancer at the age of 62 in 2009.
After Fawcett's death, O'Neal struggled to pick up the pieces of his life.
In 2012, O'Neal published Both of Us: My Life with Farrah.
O'Neal told that writing the book was "cathartic," allowing him to explain his life with Fawcett and "paint a clearer picture to everyone, including me."
When did Ryan O'Neal reunite with his family?
Ryan reunited with his family in September 2020.
On Sunday, September 13, 2020, his grandson Sean McEnroe posted a family photo of him with his 56-year-old mother Tatum O'Neal alongside his siblings, Kevin, and Emily.
The caption read: "This is one of the most memorable photos of my life. The last time we were all together was at the 30-year Paper Moon Anniversary in 2003."
It continued: "I could cry tears of gratitude that everyone in this photo is still alive and that we were all able to come together again after so many years of hardship."
"The entire West Coast is burning, but if the O’Neals can reconcile, truly anything is possible #Reconciliation #Forgiveness #Wholeness #Love #Family."
O’Neal has four children, Tatum, Redmond, Patrick, and Griffin, with three different women.
His relationships with them are complicated.
In 2004, Tatum detailed her dysfunctional relationship with her father in her searing autobiography, A Paper Life.
Ryan and Tatum starred together in 1973's Paper Moon, which made Tatum the youngest person to win an Academy Award at just 10 years old.
Meanwhile, Redmond was arrested on attempted murder charges in May 2018, and deemed mentally incompetent to stand trial in 2019, according to .
In 2010, O'Neal told Fawcett’s death in 2009 played “a very big role” in their reconciliation.
“She brought us back together,” .
She also revealed it was her father who extended the olive branch.
“He told me he’s sorry."
Read More on The Sun
"He’s all I have in terms of family, and I needed him in my life,” she shared at the time.
“My dad was absolutely everything to me.”