Scott Adams, the cartoonist behind the iconic workplace comic strip "Dilbert," has shared a sobering health update, revealing he is now paralyzed from the waist down as he battles advanced prostate cancer.
A Harrowing Health Update
In a video posted on December 13, Adams provided a stark account of his condition. "I am paralyzed below the waist in the sense that I can’t move any muscles," he stated. He clarified that he retains feeling but has lost all motor function. The creator identified the cause as a tumor near his spine. His immediate plan involved being ambulanced to a facility for radiation treatment targeted at that "pesky tumor." Adams expressed a glimmer of hope, saying, "If all goes well... I might get ... some strength back in my lower body. That’s the hope."
A Known and Aggressive Battle
This development follows Adams' initial disclosure in May that he had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer, the same type former U.S. President Joe Biden has faced. At the time, Adams was given a prognosis of only months to live. The disease has now progressed significantly, leading to the paralysis he described in his latest update.
Controversy and Career Impact
Adams' health struggles come after a major professional fallout earlier in 2023. A multitude of publications across North America, including in Canada, dropped the "Dilbert" comic strip from their pages. This decision followed controversial remarks Adams made, including calling Black people members of a "hate group" and advising white people to "get the hell away from Black people." The strip, launched in 1989 and featuring the everyman office nerd Dilbert, was once a staple in newspapers worldwide.
As Adams faces this profound personal health crisis, the public focus has shifted from his past controversies to his current fight for mobility and health against a formidable disease.
