Howard Stern is relaying a health update from Billy Joel.
On “The Howard Stern Show,” Stern shared that he had dinner with Joel two weeks ago and that the singer, who recently announced that he has been diagnosed with a brain disorder, is “doing fine.”
“He does have issues, but he said, ‘Yeah, you can tell people I’m not dying,'” the radio host said on Tuesday, June 3. “He wants people to know that. He’s just go to deal with some medical stuff.”
Stern added that he had a “great conversation” with Joel at their dinner and recalled the “Piano Man” singer “lit up” when Stern described how he has been playing classical music on the guitar.
On May 23, Joel canceled all of his upcoming concerts after he was diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus, a brain disorder. A statement posted on Joel’s Instagram said the condition has “been exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision, and balance.”
Billy Joel diagnosed with brain disorder, cancels all upcoming concerts
“Under his doctor’s instructions, Billy is undergoing specific physical therapy and has been advised to refrain from performing during this recovery period,” the statement said.
Billy Joel’s wife speaks out on his brain disorder diagnosis: ‘Hopeful for his recovery’
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.”
Days after Joel shared his diagnosis, wife Alexis Roderick Joel thanked fans for the “outpouring of love and support” in an Instagram post.
“We are so grateful for the wonderful care and swift diagnosis we received,” she said. “Bill is beloved by so many, and to us, he is a father and husband who is at the center of our world. We are hopeful for his recovery. We look forward to seeing you all in the future.”
Joel’s daughter Alexa Ray Joel also wrote on Instagram that her dad is the “strongest and most resilient man I’ve ever known” and is “entirely committed to making a full recovery with ongoing physical-therapy treatments as he continues to regain his strength.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Billy Joel health: Singer tells Howard Stern he’s ‘not dying’
