SEATTLE, WASHINGTON: Donny Bonaduce, who will undergo brain surgery on Monday, June 5 has been battling a once-mystery illness that has taken his ability to walk, speak, or balance. The 'Partridge Family' alum revealed that he has Hydrocephalus, a neurological disorder that affects the brain.
"My life was talking to doctors. I had meetings with five doctors on one single day, and nobody could figure out what it was. And I thought, 'Well, this is a big deal. I’m falling down now. That can’t be good,' " the 63-year-old told TMZ.
'I took a guitar to the head'
The radio host said that before the neurological disorder diagnosis, he met with "100 doctors" and it remains unclear why the illness began. "I can’t figure out what caused it, 'cause I’ve done so many stupid things on reality TV shows. I took a guitar to the head. That hurt and was possibly the cause of all this. I got punched in the face by Jose Canseco, a 265 lb professional athlete. And by the way, I didn’t hit the floor," he said.
Following the surgery, Bonaduce will have to place a drainage port and a stent in his brain. "From what I hear, if the diagnosis is correct, it’ll be 50 percent better right [away]. But I’d rather be safe than sorry. I don’t wanna get my hopes up too much that I’ll be cured … I will be completely bummed out if this doesn’t work. I can’t walk currently, I just can’t," Bonaduce continued.
'I was afraid I was gonna lose my job every single day'
The surgery may not help the actor completely regain his mobility. However, it will support him in making his daily routines more feasible. "I’m never gonna run track. I’m never gonna box again. But if I can get from here to the kitchen on my own, bravo," the former wrestler added.
In April 2022, Bonaduce took a leave from 'The Danny Bonaduce & Sarah Morning Show' on iHeart Radio where he worked as a host. He took a break before he received his diagnosis and his health was declining at the time, according to People.
"I was afraid I was gonna lose my job every single day. I thought, 'Well that’s it. They’re not gonna tolerate this anymore 'cause I missed a fair amount of work. What they did was, they put a studio — a small one — in my house," Bonaduce applauded the network as the episodes currently stream from his dining room.
