If you’ve spent any time on social media lately, you’ve probably seen the whispers. The "R.I.P." posts that pop up without a source, or the TikTok montages that make it sound like we’ve already lost the Queen of Daytime. It’s heavy. It’s a lot to wade through. But let’s get the big question out of the way immediately: Wendy Williams is still alive, and as of January 2026, she’s actually making more noise than she has in years.
Honestly, the "is she or isn't she" rumors are kind of a side effect of how she was basically whisked away from the public eye. One minute she’s leaning into the mic saying "How you doin'?" and the next, she’s a name in a sealed court file.
But Wendy isn't just "alive"—she’s currently in the middle of a massive legal push to take back her life. It’s been a wild ride since her talk show ended in 2022, and the updates coming out right now are actually pretty shocking compared to what we were told just a year ago.
The 2026 Status: Where Is Wendy Right Now?
Wendy is currently living in a high-end care facility in New York. For a long time, the narrative was that she was "permanently incapacitated" due to frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and primary progressive aphasia. That’s the same stuff Bruce Willis is dealing with.
However, things took a sharp turn late last year.
In November 2025, reports surfaced that a top NYC neurologist re-evaluated her. The results? They reportedly claimed the previous dementia diagnosis was wrong. This is huge. If she doesn’t have a progressive brain disease, the entire reason for her guardianship starts to crumble. Her powerhouse attorney, Joe Tacopina, has been vocal about the fact that they are gunning for her freedom by the start of 2026.
📖 Related: Kendra Wilkinson Photos: Why Her Latest Career Pivot Changes Everything
She’s been spotted out, too. You might have seen the photos from New York Fashion Week last fall. She was at the Bach Mai show looking sharp in a black blazer dress. She told reporters she felt "like a zillion dollars."
Why Do People Keep Thinking She Passed Away?
It’s the silence.
When a celebrity as loud and present as Wendy Williams goes quiet, people assume the worst. Plus, the 2024 Lifetime documentary Where is Wendy Williams? was… well, it was hard to watch. It showed her looking frail and confused. It felt like an ending.
There’s also the confusion with other people. In late 2023, an obituary for a different Wendy Williams in Alaska went viral. People didn’t read the fine print; they just saw the name and shared.
But our Wendy? She’s been fighting.
👉 See also: What Really Happened With the Brittany Snow Divorce
She even called into The Breakfast Club and Good Day New York recently to tell everyone she’s not "cognitively impaired." She sounds like the old Wendy—fast-talking, opinionated, and a little bit salty about her situation. She’s described her current living situation as "feeling like prison," mostly because she can’t just walk out and get a burger or use her own money without a guardian signing off.
The Guardianship Drama Explained Simply
Basically, back in 2022, Wells Fargo froze her accounts. They claimed she was of "unsound mind" and a "victim of undue influence." This led to a court-appointed guardian, Sabrina Morrissey, taking over.
- The Money: Wendy has no direct access to her millions.
- The Travel: She can’t leave the state or move to Miami (where her son is) without a judge saying yes.
- The Health: Her guardian originally pushed the dementia diagnosis, which Wendy’s team is now disputing with new medical evidence.
It’s a mess. Her ex-husband, Kevin Hunter, has even sued the guardianship people, calling it "civil death."
The Reality of Frontotemporal Dementia vs. Resilience
We have to be real here: the medical world is complicated. FTD doesn't usually just "go away." It’s progressive. So, if Wendy is truly showing "remarkable neurological resilience," as some sources say, it suggests either she’s a medical miracle or the initial diagnosis was a mistake tied to her past struggles with alcohol and Graves' disease.
She’s 61 now.
✨ Don't miss: Danny DeVito Wife Height: What Most People Get Wrong
She’s dealt with lymphedema, which makes her feet swell—that's why you often see her in sneakers or using a wheelchair in paparazzi shots. It’s not necessarily a sign that she’s "dying," just that she’s dealing with chronic physical issues that make moving around a literal pain.
What’s Next for the Queen of Talk?
Wendy wants her show back. That’s the dream she keeps talking about. Whether that’s realistic in 2026 is a toss-up, but her legal team is moving aggressively. They want a jury trial. They want her to be able to stand in front of regular people and prove she’s got her wits about her.
If the court rules in her favor this year, we might see the most legendary comeback in media history. Or, at the very least, she gets to go sit on a beach in Florida with her son and spend her own money.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans
If you want to keep up with the real story and not the clickbait rumors, here’s what you should actually watch:
- Monitor Court Filings: Look for updates regarding Joe Tacopina and the New York Supreme Court. The motions to terminate the guardianship are where the real facts live.
- Check Official Socials: While her accounts are often managed by her team, her niece Alex Finnie is usually the most reliable source for how Wendy is actually doing.
- Ignore "RIP" Posts Without Links: If a major outlet like AP, People, or CNN isn't reporting it, it’s probably a hoax for engagement.
Wendy Williams is still here. She’s frustrated, she’s fighting, and she’s definitely still "living" in every sense of the word. Keep an eye on the court dates this spring—that's when we'll find out if the "prison" doors finally open.