The 99 year-old Hollywood legend Dick Van Dyke, who is set to turn 100 in December, was forced to abruptly drop out of an event over the weekend due to a mystery illness. This has left his loyal fans praying for his health.
Van Dyke Pulls Out Of Vandy Camp
Van Dyke had been set to host Vandy Camp on Saturday alongside his wife Arlene Silver, 53, at the Arlene & Dick Van Dyke Theater at Malibu High School. Instead, Silver hosted the event alone.
When she took the stage, Silver admitted that she was “not the Van Dyke you’re expecting.”
“I have to inform you that Dick is not up to coming to celebrate with us today. I’m sorry,” she continued. “When you’re 99 and a half years old, you have good days and bad days … and unfortunately, today is not a good day for him, and he’s sick that he can’t be here.”
Silver went on to say that she is “pretty confident” that Van Dyke will be at the next Vandy Camp event “in person.”
Related: Dick Van Dyke, 99, Reveals Sad ‘Curse’ Of Living To 100 – ‘I’ve Lost A Lot Of Friends…’
Silver Gushes Over Vandy Camp
Later in her speech, Silver gushed over how much her husband loves Vandy Camp, explaining that it is more than “just Dick Van Dyke.”
“It is a celebration of your childhood, all of our childhoods, the music that’s in the fabric of all of us, [and] Dick Van Dyke is a big part of that,” she added.
Silver then praised Van Dyke’s fans, saying that they “are the greatest human beings I’ve ever known.”
“These Vandy Camp [events] are a wonderful opportunity to have you all in the same room and meet each other,” she stated.
As for herself, Silver said that “being around” Van Dyke “just as a human being has made me a better person.”
Silver credited her husband and his musical group, The Vantastix, for giving her “so much confidence to be able to stand up here right now.”
“I would never be able to do this maybe, like, a year ago, but I’ve had so many experiences pushing myself out of my comfort zone, and right now I’m out of my comfort zone,” Silver concluded. “But I have to wear my big girl pants and hold the reins without Dick here as the safety net that he’s always here with me.”
Van Dyke and Silver host Vandy Camp every year. They previously told People Magazine that during Vandy Camp, they work alongside The Vantastix to honor their “passion for comedy, vaudeville and the circus.”
Silver described the event as being “more of a feeling really,” adding that it is “a whimsical, vintage circus.”
Related: Dick Van Dyke’s Beloved Co-Star Dies At 90
Van Dyke Prepares To Turn 100
Van Dyke is set to turn 100 on December 13, 2025. In July of last year, Van Dyke opened up about his incredible longevity.
“Attitude about life I think has a lot to do with it,” Van Dyke told Entertainment Tonight at the time. “I’ve always looked at the good side, I guess, and expected good things to happen.”
In an April interview, Van Dyke said that despite nearing 100, he has no plans to slow down.
“I love what I do for a living,” he said. Silver quickly chimed in to add, “[But] the minute he says that — the phone rings, and he’s like, ‘I don’t want to go there.’ If they come to our house, he will work all the time.”
Van Dyke is a true legend, and there will never be another one like him. We can only hope and pray that his illness isn’t serious, and that he makes it to 100 healthy and happy.
God bless you, Dick Van Dyke!
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