Wendy Williams Is 'Alert' And 'Sharp' In First Sighting Since Dementia Diagnosis

Wendy Williams was reportedly spotted in a rare sighting and looked better than ever!

The talk show queen returned to the public scene for the first time in over a year following her dementia diagnosis.

Wendy Williams was diagnosed with aphasia and dementia in February 2023 before the release of a Lifetime documentary, which shed more light on her health struggles.

The mom-of-one showed up at a holistic wellness store in Newark with her son, Kevin Hunter Jr. According to the shop owner, during the brief visit, Williams appeared alert, aware, sharp, upbeat, and bubbly.

She held a bunch of different-colored roses as she posed for pictures with her son and another undisclosed man. Williams visited the store to buy products that would help her release stress, clear her brain fog, ensure blood circulation, and boost her mental clarity.

TMZ gathered that the wellness store expressed their eagerness to receive the celebrity once more or multiple times to shop for more products tailored to her needs.

Williams has not been seen in public since March 2023 in New York City, which means this recent trip to the store is a step in the right direction.

See the photos here.

While there was no news of any pomp and pageantry on her 60th birthday in July, The Blast reported that the star's family still took the time out to send her warm wishes despite the lack of contact.

Her family stated that she remained in their thoughts and prayers as she entered a new phase of her life and wished her nothing but the best through the rest of her day.

Sources close to the family revealed that Williams's loved ones had no idea of her current location due to ongoing litigation at that time and a lack of provision to initiate contact between Williams and her family.

Despite this, the star remained an icon to her loved ones, and nothing would ever change their admiration for her and all she had accomplished.

The star's birthday was not the first time her family has tried to establish contact with her. In fact, it has been going on since April 2022, when her court-backed guardianship program began.

Her sister, Wanda Finnie, declared that she was not informed of Williams' diagnosis after she was admitted to a treatment home for cognitive problems. Finnie shared that they had known nothing about her health since the fall of 2021 when she was still in Florida.

Her sister continued that during her time in Florida, Wendy's health greatly improved, as she had her family around her, qualified doctors, and people in Wendy's professional world.

Finnie wondered why the court preferred a guardianship system over leaving Wendy to the comfort and warmth only her family could provide.

"I don't know. I do know that this system is broken. I hope that at some point, Wendy becomes strong enough where she can speak on her own behalf," Finnie expressed on behalf of her family.

Williams allegedly owed the federal government a total of $568,451.57 from unpaid federal taxes for 2019 and 2021.

The Blast reported that the celebrity's expansive NYC mansion, which she purchased for $4.5 million in 2021, was at risk of being seized due to the debt. The tax lien was reportedly created in January but recorded with the New York City Department of Finance only in early February.

However, her court-appointed guardian, Sabrina Morrissey, may have allegedly sorted out the lien as she was also in charge of her finances, an appointment given to her by the court in 2022.

The former radio DJ's dementia diagnosis may have now ruined the remaining chances of her ever returning to the host seat.

A former co-executive producer for her talk show addressed her aphasia diagnosis in an interview, stating that her absence left a huge void in both "daytime TV and pop culture."

Suzanne Bass continued that while "there's always been a glimmer of hope for a comeback for her" in the past, her return now seemed impossible since the unfortunate diagnosis.

Bass expressed her sadness about Williams' situation as the questions surrounding her return had not stopped. However, Bass's concern for her former colleague's health remained paramount.

Will the public see more Wendy Williams outings as the year continues? Only time will tell.