So, you’re wondering: is Greg O'Brien still alive? It’s a question that pops up a lot, especially for folks who followed his heartbreaking yet oddly hopeful journey through the fog of early-onset Alzheimer’s.
The short answer is yes. As of early 2026, Greg O’Brien is still here, still fighting, and still living in his home on Outer Cape Cod with his wife, Mary Catherine. But if you know anything about Greg’s story, you know that "living" for him is a very specific, hard-fought tactical maneuver. He’s been "on Pluto"—his nickname for the alien world of dementia—for well over a decade now.
Most people who search for his status are likely remembering his 2014 book, On Pluto: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer's, or perhaps they saw the more recent documentary Have You Heard About Greg? which really put a face to the statistics.
The Reality of Living on Pluto
Greg wasn't just some guy who got sick; he was a shark of an investigative reporter. He spent forty years digging into stories for the Boston Herald, USA Today, and the Associated Press. When he got his diagnosis at age 59, he did the only thing he knew how to do: he started reporting on himself.
It’s been a long road. He carries the APOE-4 gene, the "marker" that essentially signaled his fate. He watched his grandfather, his mother, and his uncle succumb to the same "monster," as he often calls it. By the time he was diagnosed, he already knew the end of the script.
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But here’s the thing that trips people up. Alzheimer’s is usually framed as a quick slide into nothingness. Greg has proven it’s often a "serpentine course" that can last 20 years or more. He’s currently in that late-stage grind. He’s been very open about the fact that 60% of his short-term memory can vanish in 60 seconds. He’s talked about the "shrieking" in his brain—a sensory overload that makes a simple dinner party feel like the shower scene in Psycho.
Why we still talk about him
Honestly, Greg O'Brien is still alive in the public consciousness because he refused to "hide in the bunker." Most people with dementia withdraw. They’re embarrassed. Greg did the opposite. He went on NPR, he did the PBS NOVA specials, and he co-hosted The Forgetting podcast.
Even in 2025 and moving into 2026, he’s been active in advocacy. Just recently, he was part of the push in Washington D.C., protesting cuts to NIH biomedical research funding. He stood near the Lincoln Memorial and told a crowd what it’s like when your brain starts shaving off slivers of itself every day.
- He’s working off "cognitive reserve": Doctors have told him his high IQ and years of intense writing created a sort of "back-up tank" of intellect.
- He has other health battles: A lot of people don't realize Greg also has prostate cancer. He’s famously called it his "exit strategy," choosing not to treat it aggressively so that it might take him before the Alzheimer's completely erases who he is.
- The Faith Factor: He leans heavily on his faith and his friendship with people like Doug Scalise, his pastor in Brewster. He’s often said that while the mind is failing, the soul remains intact.
The Current Status of Greg O'Brien
If you’re looking for a status update, Greg is still residing in Brewster, Massachusetts. He doesn't drive much anymore—Pluto makes the roads too confusing—and he relies heavily on his family. His kids, Brendan, Colleen, and Conor, have been a huge part of his public journey, often appearing in interviews to talk about the "new Greg."
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They’re honest about the fact that he isn't the same man he was in 2009. He gets angry at himself. He loses his place. He isolates himself because conversations become a chaotic mess of noise he can't filter. Yet, he’s still writing. Even if it’s slower, even if it’s harder, he’s still punching at the keys.
There was a poignant moment in a recent update where his podcast co-host, David Shenk, noted that they didn't think they’d have "years and years" of doing this. The fact that Greg is still speaking out in 2026 is, frankly, a medical anomaly and a testament to his sheer Irish stubbornness.
What we can learn from his journey
Greg’s mission wasn't just to say "hey, I'm sick." It was to demystify the disease. He wanted people to stop looking away.
He’s shown that you can have a "broken" brain and still have a "whole" heart. He’s advocated for the idea that "until there's a cure, there's community." His life right now is a series of tactical maneuvers: using notes, using "crutches," and relying on the muscle memory of a career spent telling the truth.
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If you’re dealing with a diagnosis in your own family, Greg’s story is basically the blueprint for how to handle it with grit. He didn't want pity—he wanted a "critical mass" of people to care enough to fund a cure.
Actionable Insights for Caregivers and Families:
- Focus on the "Heart over Brain": As Greg says, when the intellect fades, communicate through emotion and soul.
- Build a "Bunker" but don't stay in it: It's okay to isolate when the noise is too much, but stay connected to a core community.
- Prepare early: Greg and Mary Catherine did their power of attorney and financial planning the moment the diagnosis hit. Don't wait.
- Use Humor: It’s the "coin of life" on Pluto. If you can't laugh at the absurdity of losing your keys in the refrigerator, the disease wins faster.
While the "monster" is still chasing him, Greg O’Brien continues to outrun it one day at a time, proving that there is still life—meaningful, painful, beautiful life—after a diagnosis.