John Lydon’s strength and resilience in the face of his wife’s diagnosis with Alzheimer’s disease is inspiring. The former Sex Pistols frontman recently spoke to the Sunday Times about the progression of his wife Nora Forster’s struggle since being diagnosed with the progressive neurodegenerative disease five years ago.
Lydon, 67, who is commonly known as Johnny Rotten, has been dedicated to providing the best care possible for his wife of 44 years, having previously revealed her diagnosis in an interview with Britain’s The Mirror. Despite the challenges that come with caring for someone with Alzheimer’s, Lydon has remained positive, saying, “It’s shaped me into what I am. I don’t think I’ll ever get over it. I don’t see how I can live without her. I wouldn’t want to. There’s no point.”
The rocker recently competed to represent Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest, singing “Hawaii” in honor of Forster, 80. The somber tune, which featured lyrics “remember me, I’ll remember you,” was ultimately determined to not be the right fit for the program, and Lydon came in fourth.
In addition to performing for his wife, Lydon loves to make dinner and play music for Forster, and says caring for her is a labor of love. “You make your commitment to a person and nothing changes,” he said. “These are the cards life dealt, and my mum and dad were right: never show self-pity. Ever.”
Lydon also offered advice for fellow caregivers, saying, “The best advice is that no matter what they do, it’s all your fault. There’s no way of mollycoddling this. It’s hideous. So pernicious and vile to watch someone you love just slowly disappear. And don’t ask them questions! And don’t switch off on them. The person is still in there. One danger is negating them, abandoning them as dummy-dumdums. You’ll feel like you are not capable of enduring this, but you must. Because you look in their eyes and they need help. You cannot turn your back. Even though it’s killing you as well.”
John Lydon’s example of strength and resilience in the face of tragedy is a powerful reminder of the power of love and dedication. He is a shining example of how caregivers can make a difference in the lives of those who need it most.
