Famed Zookeeper Jack Hanna 'Continues to Decline' Due to Alzheimer’s, Family Says: 'Things Are Challenging' (Exclusive)

“Each day, we do our best to find joy,” the family of Jack Hanna tells PEOPLE

Jack Hanna, the charismatic zookeeper and television personality who gained national fame as director of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, is continuing to deal with the effects of Alzheimer’s disease.

The family of the 77-year-old, who was diagnosed with the disease in October 2019, tells PEOPLE in a statement that his symptoms have continued to progress.

“We wish we had good news to share, but Jack continues to decline and has all the symptoms one would anticipate with advanced Alzheimer’s,” the family says. “Each day, we do our best to find joy – even when things are challenging.”

“We hope that sharing Jack’s diagnosis of Alzheimer’s brings awareness to the disease that affects almost 7 million Americans and their families,” they add.

Alzheimer's is a degenerative brain disease that is caused by complex brain changes following cell damage. It progressively affects memory, thinking and behavior seriously enough to interfere with daily tasks.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

In June 2023, Hanna’s wife Suzi and daughters Kathaleen, Suzanne, and Julie told The Columbus Dispatch that he only remembers his wife, his dog Brassy, and, occasionally, his eldest daughter Kathaleen.

"The Jack people knew isn't here anymore, but pieces of my husband are," Suzi, who has been married to Hanna since 1968, explained. "And I'm going to hang onto them for as long as I can."

“My husband is still in there somewhere,” she said at the time. “There are still those sweet, tender moments — you know, pieces of him that made me and the rest of the world fall in love with him. It’s hard. Real hard some days. But he took care of me all those years, and so it’s my turn to take care of him.”

Hanna, also known as "Jungle Jack," served as director of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium from 1978 to 1992. He officially retired from his conservation duties late 2020.

Related: Famed Zookeeper Jack Hanna Doesn't Remember Most of His Family Due to 'Advanced' Alzheimer’s: 'Real Hard Some Days'

Hanna’s daughters first revealed their father's diagnosis in a letter shared on social media by the Columbus Zoo in April 2021.

"His condition has progressed much faster in the last few months than any of us could have anticipated," they announced at the time. "Sadly, Dad is no longer able to participate in public life as he used to, where people all over the world watched, learned, and laughed alongside him."

In May 2018, Hanna received the Tom Mankiewicz Leadership Award for his work in conservation at the Los Angeles Zoo's annual Beastly Ball.

"A passion for wildlife conservation and education has been at the core of who our dad is and everything he has accomplished with the help of so many," Hanna's daughters wrote in their letter. "He has spent his life connecting people and wildlife because he has always believed that having people see and experience animals is key to engaging them in more impactful conservation efforts."

They continued, "Even though Dad is no longer able to travel and work in the same way, we know that his infectious enthusiasm has touched many hearts and will continue to be his legacy."

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.