saying, “I’m from Hicksville… What am I doing with a supermodel?” Their early relationship was full of love and creative energy.
But by the late ’80s, things unraveled. Christie noted his song “I Go to Extremes” mirrored his inner chaos—loving but distant,
especially with constant touring and legal stress. “It all catches up,” Billy admitted. They divorced in 1994 but remained amicable.
In May 2025, Billy announced he was diagnosed with Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH), a brain condition affecting balance and memory.
Christie responded with a heartfelt tribute, calling him “our piano man,” while daughter Alexa Ray Joel added, “We love you and we got you, Pop.”
Christie’s memoir Uptown Girl, released in April, revealed lingering pain. “I never wanted to end things,” she wrote,
“but his drinking was bigger than both of us.” Still, their mutual support today shows that while the marriage ended, love and respect remain.
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