Billy Joel's ex-wife Elizabeth Weber has spoken publicly about her relationship with the singer as he faces a serious health condition. Joel, 75, cancelled all his concerts in May after being diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), a brain condition caused by fluid buildup. He is undergoing physical therapy and has been advised not to perform during recovery.
Weber, who was married to Joel from 1973 to 1982, told Us Weekly that she can contact him whenever she wants, but respects his current family life. 'He has a wife and he has children and right now, he's struggling with something that's… that’s a big thing,' she said, adding that their relationship is 'as close as it needs to be for two people who decided to divorce 40 years ago.'
Weber confirmed she reached out to Joel after his diagnosis. The couple first met in the late 1960s when Weber was married to Joel's bandmate Jon Small. Their affair led to the breakup of the band and a depressive episode for Joel, who has spoken about two suicide attempts during that period. They later married in 1973 but divorced in 1982.
Joel has since been married to Christie Brinkley (1985–1994), Katie Lee Biegel (2004–2009), and currently to Alexis Roderick (since 2015), with whom he has two daughters. He also shares daughter Alexa Ray Joel with Brinkley. Weber's comments come amid Joel's health struggles, with NPH being treatable through surgery to implant a shunt.
