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Beach Boys co-founder Brian Wilson nearing conservatorship due to dementia

After the recent death of his wife, who was his primary caregiver, Wilson is unable to provide for himself

Senior Culture Editor

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Musician Brian Wilson, founding member of The Beach Boys, performs onstage at The Kia Forum on June 09, 2022 in Inglewood, California. (Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)
Musician Brian Wilson, founding member of The Beach Boys, performs onstage at The Kia Forum on June 09, 2022 in Inglewood, California. (Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)

In a petition filed on Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, Brian Wilson's publicist and business manager are requesting to be appointed as conservators of the Beach Boys co-founder, who is living with worsening dementia.

According to the filing, Wilson is described as someone “unable to properly provide for his or her personal needs for physical health, food, clothing, or shelter,” and documentation from a physician adds that he would not be able to attend a court hearing about the conservatorship, as he “often makes spontaneous irrelevant or incoherent utterances, has very short attention span and while unintentionally disruptive, is frequently unable to maintain decorum appropriate to the situation,” per reporting from The Guardian

After the death of Wilson's wife at the end of January, he is left without her assistance as his primary caregiver and the news of the conservatorship was made public via a statement on his official website, reading, “Following the passing of Brian’s beloved wife Melinda, after careful consideration and consultation among Brian, his seven children, [housekeeper] Gloria Ramos and Brian’s doctors (and consistent with family processes put in place by Brian and Melinda), we are confirming that longtime Wilson family representatives LeeAnn Hard and Jean Sievers will serve as Brian’s co-conservators."

In a heartfelt message written before his health declined, Wilson paid tribute to his late wife, writing, “Melinda was more than my wife. She was my savior. She gave me the emotional security I needed to have a career. She encouraged me to make the music that was closest to my heart. She was my anchor.”

By Kelly McClure

Kelly McClure is Salon's Senior Culture Editor, where she helps further coverage of TV, film, music, books and culture trends from a unique and thoughtful angle. Her work has also appeared in Vulture, Vanity Fair, Vice and many other outlets that don't start with the letter V. She is the author of one sad book called "Something Is Always Happening Somewhere." Follow her on Bluesky: @WolfieVibes

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