Former New York Yankees star Bernie Williams was at the height of his career, winning World Series Championships in 1996, 1998 and 1999.
But behind the glory, he carried a heavy burden: his dying father.
“My dad was our superhero. He was the guy that taught me how to play baseball, he taught me how to play the guitar, he was outgoing, athletic and always working around the house and fixing cars,” Williams said, describing him as an “indestructible force of nature” at Hearst’s second annual Men’s Health Lab in June.
It started with a dry cough that wouldn’t go away. For five years, doctor after doctor misdiagnosed him, often citing pneumonia.
Finally, he was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis — an interstitial lung disease (ILD) that causes inflammation and scarring in the lungs.
“We didn’t know anything about it and we really thought that there was going to be something we could do,” Williams said. “I said, ‘Yeah, we’ll get over this.’” But the family eventually learned there was no cure.
“I was increasingly frustrated and devastated for our family; he was just getting worse and worse,” Williams shared.
While he tried to support his dad during the season, the primary care fell to his mother and brother in Puerto Rico. “It was devastating to see him become a ghost of what he was, and just slowly deteriorate until the point he was bedridden.”
Williams reflected on his father’s “old school” approach, which led him to procrastinate seeking medical help — something Williams said exacerbated his condition.
He’s certainly not unique in that regard. Women live longer than men around the world — in the US, men live around 76 years, while women live till 81. While men certainly have some “biological vulnerabilities,” Dr. David Shusterman says behavior is a major factor.
“The bigger problem is that men tend to practice reactive medicine. They wait until something is obviously wrong,” Shusterman, a urologist at UroLongevity and Modern Urologist, previously told The Post. “Ignoring symptoms is not toughness, it is delayed diagnosis.”
The experience with his father taught Williams a valuable lesson.
“My dad had a profound influence on my life and taught me how precious life is, how fragile it can be and how to take every measure that I could to take care of myself physically and mentally,” he said.
He learned that when something feels off, you must keep fighting for answers. Now, Williams partners with Boehringer Ingelheim to spread awareness through his program, “Beyond the Scars,” which highlights the impact of ILD and provides resources for patients.
ILD affects 200,000 Americans, often with a diagnosis delay of up to two years. With men’s lifespans lagging behind women’s, Williams urges men to prioritize their health.
“In my own life, I started thinking how much differently I would approach my life if I knew how many days I had left,” he shared. At the Men’s Health Lab, he urged others to keep advocating for themselves and look ahead, even when symptoms aren’t immediately visible.
He provides resources about pulmonary fibrosis — information about overlooked symptoms, physician tips and understanding how to manage the disease.
Even with increasing breakthroughs in medicine, there is a disconnect between research and innovation, and getting the general public, particularly men, to go to the doctor. With AI and predictive analytics, the opportunity to prevent disease before it happens has never been greater.
ILD symptoms, like shortness of breath with daily activities, are frequently mistaken for normal aging. Patients are generally diagnosed with ILDs when their disease has already advanced and affected their quality of life.
Dr. Shusterman sees similar problems with other diseases all the time.
“They say, ‘I’m just getting older,” he said of his patients. “Aging is real, but many of these changes are measurable and treatable.” He stresses the importance of seeing a medical professional to know for sure what’s at the root of any symptoms.
