Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman on the Supreme Court, says she has the beginning stages of dementia and "probably Alzheimer's disease."
O'Connor made the announcement in a letter Tuesday. She said that her diagnosis was made "some time ago" and that as her condition has progressed she is "no longer able to participate in public life."
O'Connor, 88, was nominated by President Ronald Reagan and took her seat on the court in 1981. She announced her retirement in 2005.
O'Connor's announcement came a day after a story by The Associated Press that she had stepped back from public life.
Chief Justice John Roberts says he is "saddened to learn" that O'Connor has the beginning stages of dementia.
Roberts said in a statement Tuesday that although O'Connor has announced she is withdrawing from public life, "no illness or condition can take away the inspiration she provides for those who will follow the many paths she has blazed."
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BREAKING: Sandra Day O’Connor, the first female Justice of the United States Supreme Court, has been diagnosed with the “the beginning stages of dementia,” according to a statement released by her family. Notably, her husband battled Alzheimer’s disease. pic.twitter.com/L3jzbJlf5i
— David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) October 23, 2018
