TV icon Larry Hagman bereft as he slowly loses the love of his life, his wife of 54 years, Maj Axelsson, to Alzheimer’s disease and has devoted himself to caring for her, say sources close to the couple.
"Larry is facing a spouse’s worst nightmare," a family insider told The ENQUIRER. "Maj is slipping away a little more each day. And it’s heartbreaking for Larry because he is so absolutely devoted to her.
"The tenderness and love he shows her every day is nothing short of amazing!"
Maj, 81, began developing symptoms of the disease about a year ago when she started suffering memory lapses and was becoming disoriented, says the insider.
She stopped driving because she started getting lost going to and from places she’d traveled for years, another friend told The ENQUIRER.
"Out of frustration, she began getting belligerent," said the friend. "And when Larry would tell her not to yell at people, she’d burst into tears and sob for hours."
When contacted by The ENQUIRER, Maj’s brother, Shelley Greenhut, confirmed the Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
Larry and Maj – who married in 1954 – have two grown children, Kristina, 51, and Preston, 47.
I Dream of Jeanie star Larry, 77, overcame liver cancer and a transplant more than a decade ago, but his health is still fragile, says the insider. Nonetheless, he has taken charge of Maj’s care and refuses to consider putting her in a nursing facility.
"He won’t leave her alone," the insider confided. "His attitude is that Maj is a blessing. He says he’s been able to fall in love with her all over again."
In addition to Alzheimer’s, Maj also suffers from diabetes and suddenly began losing weight last year, according to the friend. She also sometimes requires a wheelchair to get around.
"Maj spends hours studying old family photos, trying to remember who everyone is. It’s really heartbreaking," added the friend.
"But Larry refuses to give up on her. He’s still so in love with Maj."
