Phil Donahue by no means gave up on his tormented son Dan within the years earlier than his dying on Sunday.
Aug. 21 2024, Printed 11:00 p.m. ET
Legendary TV host Phil Donahue waged a heartbreaking battle to rescue his son from the dual demons of psychological sickness and drug abuse for years earlier than his dying this previous weekend on the age of 88.
RadarOnline.com can reveal Donahue’s first spouse, Marge Cooney, broke her silence to disclose Dan, the third of the couple’s 5 youngsters, suffered from schizoaffective dysfunction and dependancy – and Donahue did “every part he might to assist” his tormented son for a long time earlier than his passing on Sunday.
Cooney stated earlier than her ex-husband’s dying: “Phil has finished every part he can to assist Dan. He is been a loving and fantastic father.”
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Donahue did “every part he might to assist” his tormented son for many years earlier than his passing.
Dan Donahue was stated to be out and in of remedy facilities for greater than half his life whereas his loving father quietly picked up the staggering medical payments – which at occasions totaled as much as $500,000 a yr.
And although the couple’s marriage did not work out, Donahue and Cooney remained united of their love and prayers for Dan up till their deaths.
Throughout her interview in 2002, Cooney added Donahue’s second spouse – Marlo Thomas, now 86 – was “extremely supportive” of the discuss present icon’s efforts to supply his son Dan with no matter he wanted.
Cooney stated on the time: “Dan’s had the very best remedy cash should buy, in addition to all of the love and assist his household might presumably give. Nevertheless it nonetheless wasn’t sufficient.”
Along with schizoaffective dysfunction, a psychological sickness that runs in households, Dan additionally suffered from mind injury sustained in an auto accident 55 years in the past.
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Donahue’s second spouse Marlo Thomas was stated to be “extremely supportive” of the discuss present host’s efforts to assist his son Dan.
Schizoaffective dysfunction causes sufferers to expertise crushing melancholy and schizophrenia on the similar time – usually accompanied by hallucinations and delusions.
The illness makes it nearly unattainable for a affected person to assume clearly, handle feelings, make choices and relate to others.
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Cooney, 22 years earlier than Donahue’s dying on Sunday, stated: “With Dan’s sickness, stimuli come to the mind as a barrage. It overloads the circuits, and also you flip to alcohol or medicine to medicate your self.”
However she added Dan’s lengthy historical past of cocaine, marijuana and alcohol abuse solely made his remedy tougher.
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Donahue’s first spouse stated earlier than his dying: “Phil has finished every part he can to assist Dan. He is been a loving and fantastic father.”
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In 2002, Donahue and Cooney’s troubled son lived in a cottage on the grounds of the famed Silver Hill Hospital in New Canaan, Connecticut, the place celebrities like Tatum O’Neal, Darrell Hammond and Billy Joel beforehand sought remedy for their very own addictions.
The anguished mother stated she misplaced rely of what number of occasions her son had entered rehab.
However her beneficiant ex – who earned $20million a yr within the Nineteen Nineties and later signed a short-lived million-dollar deal to debut a brand new present on MSNBC in 2002 – by no means balked at footing the invoice for Dan’s remedy.
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Dan was simply 14 when his dad and mom divorced in 1975 after 17 years of marriage. Like his brothers Michael, Kevin and Jim, he lived along with his father in Chicago whereas his sister, Mary Rose, moved to New Mexico to reside along with his mom.
Then, in 1977, Donahue fell in love with Thomas after she appeared on his hit daytime talkshow program The Phil Donahue Present.
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Donahue stated earlier than his dying on Sunday: “I feel my epitaph ought to learn: ‘There lies Phil. He finished his damnedest.’ I feel the youngsters would agree.”
Donahue, years earlier than his passing, stated his and Thomas’ Might 22, 1980 marriage introduced love and order into his son’s hectic and drug-fueled life.
He stated on the time: “There was an ideal rapport. Once we would have dinner, I’d be taught extra about our youngsters from listening to them discuss to Marlo than after they have been speaking to me.”
However when Dan was 18, tragedy struck. A extreme head damage he suffered in a automotive crash appeared to have kick-started his psychosis.
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Cooney stated in 2002: “You will have this shiny, clever, participating 18-year-old who by no means confirmed any indicators of psychological sickness. Then – over a interval of months after his accident – he mysteriously begins to vary conduct.”
Many years later, the household remained shattered by Dan’s sickness – however Donahue knew on the time of his dying he did every part potential to assist not simply his son Dan but additionally his and Cooney’s 4 different kids.
He stated years earlier than his passing at 88 on Sunday after an extended sickness: “I feel my epitaph ought to learn: ‘There lies Phil. He finished his damnedest.’ I feel the youngsters would agree.”
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