Kathy Griffin has revealed her mother is suffering from dementia.
The comedian said Maggie, 98, has deteriorated quickly and now only knows her name and the words “I love you”.
In a lengthy post on Instagram, Griffin wrote: “As heartbreaking as this is, I feel the need to share some important info about my mom Maggie.
“I’ve always been honest with you all, but this one is really hard. The pic below, taken in September, was the last time I was able to have a proper/coherent conversation with her.
“Since that photo was taken, she has rapidly fallen into the throes of dementia.
“This is never easy for any child, I know this is a reality that millions of people deal with every year.
“But when it comes to my mom this is particularly hard because her sharp mind was everything.
“My mom is 98 and up until this past couple years she was so sharp she always kept me on my toes. Her mind was so naturally quick, funny, and smart. No one could get anything past her.
“Watching that slip away so fast has been devastating. I want to assure you all that she is not in pain and she is getting the best 24-hour care. In terms of how she is now, at this point she only knows my name and I love you.
“I know many of you know what that reality is like…I’m still grappling with it. A big reason I’m sharing this news with you is that so many of you have asked why I haven’t posted a video of Maggie & her beloved dog Twinkle in the past few months.
“Now you understand why we haven’t been able to share anything, here is a moment between them from this summer.”
Griffin went on to say that she was so glad her TV series My Life On The D List gave people a chance to see how funny her parents were, adding: “She never put on a show, she was the show.
“If you ever met my mom and asked for a photo, you should know it was a pleasure as much for her as it was for you. She loved making people happy and making people laugh.
“And trust me, I know she was the bigger star…thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving us a lifetime of memories.”
Kris Jenner responded to the post, writing: “This breaks my heart…precious memories with your beautiful mom these pictures are priceless and I love the one of her babysitting my grandkids.
“What an angel she is…you are such an amazing daughter and I’m sending you so much love and many prayers…please give her a kiss for me…love you.”
Will and Grace star Debra Messing added: “Oh honey, I’m so sorry. You have had such an exquisite blessing having 98 years of sharp, hilarious communion with Maggie.
“Of course she knows your name and that she loves you. That has been the foundation and joy of her life.
“Sending you both love. Hold her close. She’s still there.”