Billy Joel’s daughter gives update on his brain disorder battle

Billy Joel‘s daughter, Alexa Ray, is giving an update on her father’s health nearly a year after he opened up about his battle with a neurological condition.

“He’s doing physical therapy regularly and he’s doing great. He’s lost weight as he’s on his diet,” Ray, a singer herself, told The Hollywood Reporter in an interview published Thursday, March 12. “I’m so proud of him. He’s such a trooper, so resilient and committed to being healthy and proactive. He’s a fighter. He’s always been a fighter and talks in his documentary about how life’s like a fight.”

Joel, 76, revealed in May that he had been diagnosed with a brain disorder known as normal pressure hydrocephalus. A statement posted on Joel‘s Instagram at the time said the condition has “been exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision, and balance.”

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Ray’s comments came ahead of a scheduled tribute to Joel on March 12 at New York’s Carnegie Hall. The fundraiser, entitled “The Music of Billy Joel,” featured performances from Matchbox Twenty’s Rob Thomas, Rufus Wainwright and Matt Nathanson.

“I said, ‘Dad, you better be there! This is Carnegie Hall. Everyone’s paying tribute to you, and it’s an amazing group of artists,'” Ray told THR. “He was like, ‘Let me mark that down.’ He’s very organized with his little calendar. He was so excited when he first played Carnegie Hall in the ’70s, so it’s exciting for him to come back decades later and see amazing artists and his daughter pay tribute to him. It’s a full-circle moment.”

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Joel did in fact make an appearance at the event, recapping the night of star-studded performances on his Instagram. He wore a crisp black suit and tie, paired with a light blue button-down, and stood for a standing ovation following the event, according to social media videos.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, normal pressure hydrocephalus is a brain condition that occurs when fluid buildup disrupts brain function, which can “affect several brain-related abilities, including thinking and concentrating, memory, movement and more.”