Serena and Venus Williams’ father, Richard Williams, recently had a stroke and has since been experiencing debilitating memory issues, according to Radar Online. Lakeisha Williams, Richard’s estranged wife, shares that he recently had a stroke and was released from the hospital last week. Lakeisha tells the outlet:
His condition is fair – he’s up and walking around but he’s not at 100 percent. He needs speech therapy, psychological therapy and physical therapy but for now he refused. I’m trying to get him under control and relaxed so that when we come back from out of town we could try to get that going. But he doesn’t wish to be bothered with anybody.
She says: His mind is thinking that they’re going to put him back in ‘prison’ – which is what he calls the hospital. He thinks we are just going to take him back to the hospital, but that is not correct.
Lakeisha believes that Richard doesn’t recall having a stroke; His mind is telling him that since he was once in charge of his life, after what’s happened he’s not accepting it. To him he’s a normal person – nothing happened to him.
As of now, it is unclear if he will fully recover. We have to let nature take its course. I’ve been with him a long time so I know what he’s trying to say. It’s like training yourself for your child – like a baby, you have to think for them.
Serena nor Venus have yet to comment on their father’s condition.
