The other justices, especially those who served with her, issued statements remarkable in the warm and personal way they talked about O'Connor. Sandra Day O'Connor, seen here testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee in 1981, served for 24 years on the Supreme Court.ĭon Carl STEFFEN/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images Responding to O'Connor's letter, Chief Justice John Roberts writes, "I was saddened to learn that Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, like many Americans, faces the challenge of dementia." This summer her sons packed up her Supreme Court office, which she maintained in retirement, to allow Justice Anthony Kennedy, who retired in July, to move in. O'Conner has for several years limited her public appearances and, to those who knew her, it was clear that she was having difficulty walking and sometimes remembering. But he deteriorated far more rapidly than expected, was unable to remain at home, and died in 2009. She retired in 2005 because of her husband's Alzheimer's and her desire to be with him while the two were still able to enjoy each other. O'Conner's dementia diagnosis is a cruel echo of her reason for leaving the court. In her letter, O'Connor then describes the importance of encouraging the growth of Americans' civic learning and engagement - a key goal of iCivics, the organization she started after retiring from the federal bench.Ĭoncluding the letter, O'Connor writes, "While the final chapter of my life with dementia may be trying, nothing has diminished my gratitude and deep appreciation for the countless blessings in my life." "Since many people have asked about my current status and activities, I want to be open about these changes, and while I am still able, share some personal thoughts." "As this condition has progressed, I am no longer able to participate in public life," O'Connor says. "While the final chapter of my life with dementia may be trying, nothing has diminished my gratitude and deep appreciation for the countless blessings in my life," she writes in a letter released by the Supreme Court's public information office. Now, O'Connor says, her condition is forcing her to withdraw from public life. She left the court to care for her husband, John, after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. O'Connor, 88, is the first woman to serve on the high court and has remained active since retiring in 2006. Retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor says she has been diagnosed with "the beginning stages of dementia, probably Alzheimer's disease," in an open letter that was released Tuesday. Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor says she has been diagnosed with "dementia, probably Alzheimer's disease." She's seen here in 2012.
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