Billy Joel’s Ex Christie Brinkley Speaks Out After His Health Diagnosis

Billy Joel can all the time depend on Christie Brinkley to be in his nook.

The mannequin, 71, shared an Instagram post on Saturday, Might 24, wherein she paid tribute to her ex-husband, 76, after he revealed his latest prognosis of normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) a day prior.

Posting a video that featured varied clips of herself and daughter Sailor Brinkley Prepare dinner, whose dad is Peter Prepare dinner, attending certainly one of Billy’s live shows, Brinkley wrote, “The whole Brinkley gang is sending you lots of love and good wishes for a full and speedy recovery.”

“I was looking for some cute photos of you and Alexa to send you, when I came across this clip from a recent concert. It made me laugh … but it also reminded me of all the joy you create, and all the sensational sing-alongs you’ve [led],” she continued. “You turn an arena of strangers into a living room full of friends as we all sway in unison.”

Added Brinkley: “I’m sure I’m speaking for everyone in that room when I say please take good care of yourself, we all want you back in that white hot spotlight, you’re OUR piano man. And we’re always in the mood for your melodies and we all hope you’re feeling alright! We Love You, the kids, me and an arena or two!”

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Billy and Brinkley wed in 1985 after assembly two years prior. They welcomed a daughter collectively, Alexa Ray Joel, in 1985, earlier than their 1994 divorce.

In her lately launched memoir, Uptown Girl, Brinkley recounted how she and the music icon met at a dive motel bar in St. Barts.

“He definitely didn’t look like a rock star,” the mother of three mentioned of her first impression of Billy, who was sitting behind a piano.

“The man was sunburned to a crisp, his face the same color as cranberries and unctuous with oil, which he’d undoubtedly slathered on to soothe the burn, topped by what I like to call ‘the Long Island bubble:’ a carapace of curly shellacked hair popular in the 1980s in parts of suburban New York,” Brinkley added.

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Talking with PEOPLE lately about her romance with Billy, Brinkley mentioned, “We laughed like you couldn’t believe.”

“But also he was so sensitive and he did all the old-fashioned things, the flowers, the notes and the poems and the songs,” she continued. “He was going into the recording studio and he was writing all these songs and saying, ‘This one’s for you.’ How may I not fall in love with him?” 

Brinkley added that watching Billy carry out reside added a spark to their relationship throughout their time collectively.

“After I heard him sing on stage, I discovered myself undeniably connected to this bodily sizzling and charismatic man,” she defined.

Billy introduced on Might 23 that he will probably be canceling all scheduled live shows following his NPH prognosis. (NPH is a situation the place extra cerebrospinal fluid builds up within the mind ventricles.)

The star — who can be a dad to daughters Della Rose Joel, 9, and Remy Anne Joel, 7, with spouse Alexis Roderick — is present process particular bodily remedy below his physician’s directions. He has additionally been “advised to refrain from performing during this recovery period.”

Brinkley’s put up for her ex-husband was shared hours after their daughter Alexa, 39, honored Billy along with her personal tribute to him amid his well being ordeal.

Posting a black and white picture of art work that depicted a dad holding his younger daughter’s hand, she wrote, partly, “We love you and we got you, Pop!”

“The genuine care, empathy, and concern from everyone means so much to him … it means a lot to me, too,” Alexa added, then concluding her caption with the lyrics from “Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)” — a tune Billy wrote for her that was launched on his 1993 album River of Goals.