Wirehead Studios

Jul 1 2004
The Daily Record of Scotland

STAR Trek actor James Doohan, who played engineer Scotty, has
Alzheimer's disease.

The 84-year-old Canadian actor's family have revealed the progress of his dementia means he will have to retire from public life.

Despite a history of ill health, including Parkinson's disease and
diabetes, he was still a regular fixture on the Star Trek convention
circuit until recently.

And four years ago, he became a father for the seventh time with the birth of his daughter Sarah.

Doohan's wife Wende, 47, said yesterday: 'It is hard for him to do
interviews because the more he starts searching for the words, the more frustrated he gets.

'With Jimmy, it's mostly the loss of words. He still recognises
everybody. And there are times when he is sharp as a tack.

'But with any type of memory loss like this, it's the older memories
that stick. The more recent ones are harder.'

A tribute to the actor a veteran of D-Day with the Royal Canadian
Artillery will be held in LA next month.

After the show, called Beam Me Up, Scotty...One Last Time, he will
receive his star on the Hollywood walk of fame.

=(

Very sad news indeed.  I think I could stand trying to live without a foot or a wing even, but losing one's mind like that...  I'd rather cease to exist than forget who I am.