Click here: to donate by Credit Card
Or here: to donate by PayPal
Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794
Thank you very much and God bless you.
Posted on 12/25/2025 9:08:22 PM PST by yesthatjallen
Buzz Aldrin has been "abandoned" and "dying" in his bed all alone.
The 95-year-old astronaut's longtime friend Steve Barber has spoken out exclusively to RadarOnline.com after seeing the "horrific" state of Aldrin's living conditions during a recent visit.
In a photo exclusively provided to Radar, the ailing space hero could be seen staring blankly inside of his dingy Los Angeles apartment, as he received oxygen support through his nose.
Aldrin, wearing a NASA T-shirt, appeared in a daze while bedridden and leaning over on a small pillow.
There was a table beside the elderly star, allowing him to reach over for a beverage or snack because he's said to be unable to move.
"He's literally just laying in a room by himself," Barber, whose known Aldrin since 2004 and visioned the Apollo 11 monument in 2018, told Radar.
SNIP
(Excerpt) Read more at radaronline.com ...
|
|
Click here: to donate by Credit Card Or here: to donate by PayPal Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794 Thank you very much and God bless you. |
No family?
Emotionally, though... the loneliness of being abandoned and alone is soul crushing.
People on top of the world often sacrifice families and relations to get to where they are.
There was a public family dispute in 2018 when two of his children sought guardianship, alleging concerns about his mental health and finances, leading to lawsuits that were later resolved. More recent reports (from late 2025) from friends suggest some estrangement or limited contact with his children following his wife’s death, describing him as living alone and in declining health. However, this appears to reflect current family dynamics rather than him never having had a family.
Why isn’t he in some assisted living facility?
I don't know about that. I imagine like many men - he wants to live independently, and especially, on his own terms. IMHO there are no "nice" assisted living facilities.
At home caretaking is available. Given there’s no squalor he must have at home housekeeping taking place.
If he has any disability of significance the VA would be on top of this situation, but if he never filed for any disability because he didn’t have one he likely makes too much money for the VA to be able to step in.
But that just means whatever his medigap plan or Medicare advantage plan is will have a benefit package including at home care. At home care is the at home equivalent of the assisted living configuration.
I think, though , that the recent passing of his wife likely just left him not caring about extending his life any more. Age old story, elderly husband dies first and wife lives on for decades. Elderly wife dies first, husband follows shortly behind.
Why would a *friend* leak such a photo to the press?
If there is a question about someone’s ability to take care of himself, you take it to the family, or to his pastor, and help by cleaning up, visiting, etc. You can also take it to the VA, to local County elder care services, etc. You don’t make a public spectacle of someone you care about.
Maybe he is trying to shame the family and get them to reconnect?
Very sad.
It’s hard to figure out the motivation. Could the *friend* address the situation himself, or is he calling attention to the situation because he feels helpless (whether or not that’s an accurate assessment) and wants somebody else to step in?
. Age old story, elderly husband dies first and wife lives on for decades. Elderly wife dies first, husband follows shortly behind
My wife of 51 years just passed in September. I totally understand that statistically likely my own death within 6 months. I also understand why. I am no one’s needed hero.
I’ve noticed that the increasingly vapid online content about celebrities has a stock narrative of the “tragic end” of celebrities who have left the spotlight, possibly because, like any other job, they decided, at some point, to retire. A related theme is “You won’t believe what they look like now!” Some are tragic. But lots of times the hyped tragedy is no tragedy at all. At worst, it is just the inevitable decline that happens to all of us. Sometimes its a story of one who passed away in comfortable surroundings in the company of loved ones. So there’s a cottage industry in exaggerating the circumstances of famous elderly people.
Written by A.I.?!
Regards,
Clapping. Thank you.
Reads like AI trash . Pure 100% crap
I do, however, believe it is our culture to over-medicate, which results in horrible falls (both inside and outside assisted living).
I am so sorry to read of your loss. My wife has been battling multiple myeloma for six years and likely only has months or perhaps a year left to live. I've been doing 24x7 home care-giving for years. Your comment about no longer being someone's needed hero hits the nail on the head; I cried when I read that.
You are in my prayers tonight, for strength and peace of mind, to recover from the awful loss of your wife and also of the responsibility and honor of owning that responsibility. Carry on, Sir, there is more yet for you to do in this life. God bless.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.