The family of comedy acting legend Gene Wilder - who died last night aged 83 - have revealed how he secretly battled Alzheimer's Disease for many years before his death.

In a moving statement released last night by Wilder's nephew Jordan Walker-Pearlman on behalf of the family, they state that the cause of the Willy Wonka star's death "was complications from Alzheimer’s disease, with which he co-existed for the last three years." The statement then describes why the actor wanted to keep the details of that horrible illness from the public: to preserve the innocence of young fans who only knew him as Willy Wonka.

"The choice to keep this private was his choice, in talking with us and making a decision as a family...The decision to wait until this time to disclose his condition wasn’t vanity, but more so that the countless young children that would smile or call out to him “there’s Willy Wonka,” would not have to be then exposed to an adult referencing illness or trouble and causing delight to travel to worry, disappointment or confusion."

https://twitter.com/AustinHunt/status/770353396700282881 https://twitter.com/davidwalliams/status/770507813714026496 The statement also describes the actor's final moments before he died. It reads in full:

"It is with indescribable sadness and blues, but with spiritual gratitude for the life lived that I announce the passing of husband, parent, and universal artist Gene Wilder, at his home in Stamford Connecticut. It is almost unbearable for us to contemplate our life without him. "The cause was complications from Alzheimer’s disease, with which he co-existed for the last three years. The choice to keep this private was his choice, in talking with us and making a decision as a family. We understand for all the emotional and physical challenges this situation presented we have been among the lucky ones – this illness-pirate, unlike in so many cases, never stole his ability to recognise those that were closest to him, nor took command of his central-gentle-life affirming core personality. It took enough, but not that. "The decision to wait until this time to disclose his condition wasn’t vanity, but more so that the countless young children that would smile or call out to him “there’s Willy Wonka,” would not have to be then exposed to an adult referencing illness or trouble and causing delight to travel to worry, disappointment or confusion. He simply couldn’t bear the idea of one less smile in the world. "He was eighty-three and passed holding our hands with the same tenderness and love he exhibited as long as I can remember. As our hands clutched and he performed one last breath the music speaker, which was set to random, began to blare out one of his favorites: Ella Fitzgerald. There is a picture of he and Ella meeting at a London bistro some years ago that are among each our cherished possessions. She was singing Somewhere Over the Rainbow as he was taken away. "We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams." Sincerely, "Gene's kid".

https://twitter.com/MelBrooks/status/770347237280886784