Doctor: I spotted Connolly's Parkinson's after watching him walk

Posted: Published on March 2nd, 2014

This post was added by Dr Simmons

Orthopaedic surgeon Gary Fettke, from Tasmania, met Connolly in a Los Angeles hotel lobby and revealed to the comedian the possibility he may have Parkinson's.

The surgeon had approached the Glasgow comedian to ask for an autograph but, after watching the way the 71-year-old was walking, he decided to tell him that he was showing early signs of Parkinson's.

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Dr Fettke was in the Sportsmen's Lodge in Los Angeles, in January 2013, with his daughters' dance troupe when he saw Connolly across the lobby.

They started talking after one of the girls asked Connolly for his autograph.

As he was walking away Dr Fettke noticed that Connolly had a "strange gait".

Dr Fettke's wife, Belinda, said: "He was such a nice guy and spoke to us for quite a while about Tasmania and the girls and his tour.

"As he walked away Gary said to me he was sure Billy had Parkinson's."

Dr Fettke said Connolly walked the same way as someone who had been drinking.

Dr Fettke said: "I thought maybe he didn't realise he had it. It was just one human being to another human being, who happened to be Billy Connolly."

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Doctor: I spotted Connolly's Parkinson's after watching him walk

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