Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Gabrielle Union Announces Death of Father Sylvester “Cully” Union Jr., 81

Her tribute illuminates dementia’s slow toll on families.

Overview

  • Union said in an Instagram post that her father died at 81 after a long battle with dementia.
  • She described how the disease first brought repeating words and forgetfulness, then took his ability to swallow and walk.
  • Union wrote that the experience was brutal yet did not define him, recalling a sociable man who loved music, travel, and family.
  • She called him a perfectly imperfect father who owned his mistakes over time and worked to make amends.
  • Union thanked medical and memory-care staff, invited those who knew him to share stories, and received public condolences including a brief note from Dwyane Wade.