Jack Hanna is America’s favorite zookeeper, once gracing TV screens on several animal series and David Letterman’s “Good Morning America.”
Hanna now lives a quiet life in a wooden lakeside home with his wife, Suzi, who fights for him daily.
The famous zookeeper suffers from Alzheimer’s, a disease slowly taking away his memory.
Jack Hanna is a passionate man who loves animals dearly. He is the man who is credited for building the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium to be one of America’s best and was once a staple on American television when it came to all things animals.
Through the years, Hanna traveled the world as an animal conservationist. During his travels, he’d promote Columbus, the place he called his home for decades.
The zoo is a must-see tourist attraction for both local and foreign guests. It generates millions in income, which can be credited to Hanna for the way he transformed the zoo.
Kids growing up in America often knew Hanna. He was a conservationist clad in a khaki uniform and a hat and was constantly featured on TV for animal stories, sightings, appearances, and fun facts.
He knew and interacted with all animals – from exotic ones like bears, lions, and tigers to more domesticated ones. He was the guy everyone loved to watch.
However, there was more to Hanna than being America’s animal conservation expert. Being passionate about his craft came at the expense of his daughters.
Hanna admitted that he missed many of his daughters’ special moments growing up. His wife, Suzi, constantly had them do activities like cheerleading, swimming, and tennis while the zookeeper worked to save his beloved Zoo.
Although one of his daughters, Suzanne Southerland, said she had a magical childhood, her father’s wish was for him to have spent more time with his family in the past.
Southerland couldn’t help but defend her dad for his wonderful work. She even begged to differ and said her father did spend time with them whenever he could. She said:
“I know he thinks we didn’t get to spend a whole lot of time together, but the time we did get to spend was such quality time.”
Much of his three children’s free time was spent at the zoo, and they never had time to go on vacation. Their way of bonding back then was picking up trash around the zoo and later seeing who got the most.
One of their daughters, Julie Hanna, was diagnosed with cancer as a child. While she survived, complications arose from the radiation she had to endure.
The zookeeper once admitted how difficult it was to keep a happy face when he knew his daughter suffered from pain. “Sometimes it can wear on you,” he candidly said. “I want to be happy all the time. I don’t know how to be any other way. I try to keep it in a lot, but you do cry.”
Despite the difficulty the Hanna family faced, they held on to one another through it all. In the past couple of years, the animal conservationist and his wife have tried their best to spend as much time with their kids and grandkids as possible.
In 2021, Hanna’s children made a heartbreaking announcement that their father had been diagnosed with dementia, which was later determined as Alzheimer’s disease. Through their statement, they shared that the disease was progressing faster than they could have anticipated.
Due to his illness, they announced that Hanna would no longer continue working on his advocacies nor participate in public activities. Nonetheless, they assured his supporters that he remained humorous despite his diagnosis and continued wearing his iconic khakis, even at home.
Hanna is Columbus Zoo’s Director Emeritus. He was given the honorary title when he retired as the zoo’s spokesperson in 2020, a position he held after stepping down as its director.
Two years after his diagnosis, Hanna, 76, is suffering from the effects of Alzheimer’s. The disease has advanced, and he can no longer recognize most members of his own family.
The former zookeeper lives a quiet life in Montana, where his devoted wife, Suzi, cares for him. Despite the challenges, Suzi looks back at their life with fondness and gratitude. She shared.
“I have to say that over the years, I’ve been so blessed being married to Jack. I mean, I’ve had a life that I never would’ve dreamed of.”
Suzi also feels lucky to have so much footage of their life. They can look back at it whenever they want to, especially when things get difficult.
Nowadays, Hanna only remembers his wife, Suzi, and their dog Brassy. Sometimes, he also recognizes his eldest daughter, Kathaleen. He, unfortunately, does not recognize his two younger daughters.
Hanna spends his days enjoying the sunlight on the deck of his beautiful lakeside home. He still stresses himself with trivial things, like the air from their vents damaging their home or the lights on their Christmas tree catching fire.
His devoted wife fights for his memory every single day. No matter how hard it gets, she chooses to care for him alone, without any outside help. She explained:
“It’s hard. Real hard some days. But he took care of me all those years, and so it’s my turn to take care of him.”
Nowadays, Hanna’s children and wife are more open to telling their family’s story. They want to show families who have loved ones with Alzheimer’s that they are not alone in their struggle.
His eldest daughter added that while her dad may never understand or realize it, after decades of helping everyone he could, he continues to do it now by sharing his story.
