What is Willie Geist's illness? Does he have Parkison's disease?

What is Willie Geist's illness? Does he have Parkison's disease?

Willie Geist is an American journalist and television host well-known for anchoring MSNBC's Morning Joe and Sunday Today with Willie Geist. His health status has caught the interest of fans following reports that he has a neurodegenerative disease. In this regard, what is Willie Geist's illness?

Willie Geist
Broadcast Journalist Willie Geist poses backstage at The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Photo: Noam Galai
Source: Getty Images

The Morning Joe host does not have Parkinson's disease. However, his father, Bill Geist, has been living with Parkinson's for decades. As a result, Willie has dedicated much time to raising awareness and educating the public about the disease. He is involved in causes directed towards raising funds for further Parkinson's disease research.

Willie's profile summary and bio

Full name William Russell Geist
GenderMale
Age48 years old as of 2023
Zodiac sign Taurus
Place of birth Evanston, Illinois, USA
Current residence South Salem, New York, USA
Nationality American
EthnicityWhite
SexualityHeterosexual
Height in feet6 feet 4 inches
Weight in kilograms 78 kg
Eye colourBrown
Hair colourDark brown
Marital status Married
ChildrenLucie and George
OccupationTelevision, personality, journalist
Net worthApproximately $14 million
Social media Instagram FacebookTwitter

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Does Willie Geist have Parkinson's?

Willie does not have Parkinson's disease. False reports claiming that he has the disease came in after his father went public with his Parkinson's disease.

In November 2020, he ran a half-marathon in New York City in support of his father and people living with this disease. His efforts saw him raising thousands of dollars towards further research and education about Parkison's.

Does Bill Geist from CBS have Parkinson's?

The veteran correspondent has Parkinson's disease. In 1992, Bill, Willie's father, discovered that he had Parkinson's disease. Bill and his wife decided to keep his diagnosis a secret from his children and did so for over ten years.

However, he went public with his Parkinson's disease status on a show he was hosting in July 2012. He still does not prefer talking much about his disease, even though he publicly shared his diagnosis.

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Is Willie Geist the son of Bill Geist?

Willie is the eldest son of veteran journalist Bill Geist. He also has a daughter named Libby Geist, a documentary producer known for productions such as 30 For 30 (2009-2022), The Last Dance (2020), Catching Hell (2011), and O.J.: Made in America (2016).

Is Willie Geist the son of Bill Geist?
Bill Geist and his son Willie Geist at the SiriusXM Studios in New York City. Photo: Ilya S. Savenok
Source: Getty Images

Willie Geist's health

According to Venture Jolt, Willie is not sick from any chronic illness known to the public. Furthermore, unconfirmed rumours have circulated online stating that he has the same disease as his father and that his health is deteriorating.

What happened to Willie Geist?

He was replaced on the Monday Morning with Tamron Hall and AI Roker show by American radio and T.V host Billy Bush after handing in his resignation letter. However, fans will continue to see him on television on Morning Joe and Sunday Today.

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Is Willie Geist still married?

Willie is still married to his wife Christina Sharkey Geist, whom he met when he was doing sixth grade at George Washington School. They experienced setbacks in their relationship during college and decided to take a break. They only got back together after graduating.

The couple exchanged wedding vows in Humacao, Puerto Rico, on 24 May 2003 and have since been together.

Does Willie Geist have children with his wife?

Willie and Christina are parents to two children, a son and a daughter. Their daughter, Lucie Geist, was born in 2007, while their son, George Geist, was born in 2009.

Willie's children have varying interests; his son is passionate about baseball and drumming, and his daughter enjoys dancing and playing basketball.

Was Willie Geist a football player?

He was a football player in college and played for the Ridgewood Maroons. Willie's team won its first state championship in 1991. Even though he was a talented player, he did not continue playing professionally, as broadcasting is his true calling.

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Did Willie Geist play sports?

Willie played sports in middle school and college, after which he pursued a different career. He has worked as a sports editor, reporter and producer for CNN Illustrated NBC Sports. As a sports broadcaster, he covered events such as the Super Bowl, NCAA Final Four, Masters and Olympics.

Was Willie Geist a football player?
Willie Geist at the 2023 ADAPT Leadership Awards at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City. Photo: Craig Barritt
Source: Getty Images

Claims about Willie Giest's illness were found to be untruthful. He was mistaken for having Parkinson's disease because of his father, who has this disease. Notably, the television anchor is healthy.

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Source: Briefly News

Authors:
Tshepiso Ntombela avatar

Tshepiso Ntombela (Lifestyle writer) Tshepiso Ntombela is a Wits Journalism graduate from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. He has journalistic experience obtained in 2021 from Wits Vuvuzela, a community newspaper where his tasks were inclusive of news and feature writing, subediting, photography and videography as well as source interviewing. He's currently undergoing an Internship at the Wits Centre for Journalism. In 2023, Tshepiso finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. Email: tshepisontombela62@gmail.com

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