Gabrielle Union Makes Emotional Confession About Her Father’s Declining Health

Gabrielle Union has been working in the entertainment industry for decades, but she recently reflected on her career and how her father, Sylvester Union’s, health was impacting her career. In a chat titled “Sisterhood & Savings: A Conversation with Gabrielle Union” at the American Black Film Festival in Miami, Florida, on June 12, the actress made an honest confession about her life.

Gabrielle Union Discusses the Financial Toll Her Father’s Health Has Had

The “Bring It On” star addressed the attendees, telling them how Sylvester, who is 80, was in memory care (he has dementia). His health and the bills accrued because of it directly impacted the work that she chose to do. “I have to go where the money goes,” she said, People reports.

She continued, “I don’t have the luxury of taking all the independent films that I want because I can’t afford to pay for my extended family in the way that they have grown accustomed to. I have to factor in endorsements and brands and brand building. When you see celebrities have fifty ‘leven jobs, there’s a reason.”

In the chat, Union also revealed that people may have a misconception about her earnings. “We don’t get paid what y’all think that we get paid, and that check is split so many ways. You have to have multiple revenue streams to do the job that you really love,” she said. “So it kind of depends on what I’ve made that year on how creative I can be.”

Still, when it comes to her dad and his health, Union often celebrates the little things, choosing to see the silver lining where she can.

Gabrielle Union Shares Emotional Message About Her Father’s Dementia Diagnosis

This is not the first time Union has shared the impact of her father’s dementia diagnosis. On October 23, 2024, she celebrated his 80th birthday with an Instagram post. A short video clip shows Union and her family celebrating Sylvester’s birthday, and the moment is full of love.

In the caption, she reflected on all the things her father still remembers (and also a few things he doesn’t, as she noted that he still thinks her husband, Dwyane Wade, plays in the NBA). She remained hopeful, writing, “What dementia has robbed him of, his heart and soul have recovered,” she wrote. They also shared an emotional moment. “When my Dad saw me, he said ‘I really love you.’ And I said ‘I love you too Dad,’” she wrote.

In an Instagram post from October 17, 2023, the “Riff Raff” actress opened up about how painful it was for her and the rest of the family to put her dad in memory care. ”My Dad was diagnosed with dementia a few years back and we had to place him in memory care earlier this year,” she wrote in the caption. “This process has been extremely hard on our family, with a few really painful chapters.”

However, in her video, Union also chose to celebrate the little things, such as when they saw her dad “return in full form for a few hours.” It was a moment she described as “the best gift we could’ve all received.”

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