In the eyes of independent presidential candidate for the United States in 2024, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., 2024, a parasitic worm had eaten part of his brain in the aftermath of experiencing amnesia and brain fog in 2010.
According to a report by The New York Times on Wednesday, the media reviewed a deposition given by the now 70-year-old Kennedy during his divorce from his second wife in 2012, in which he detailed the experience, including his symptoms at the time and the doctor’s diagnosis of a dead parasitic worm in his brain.
Kennedy reportedly told his lawyer in 2012 that a neurosurgeon at New York-Presbyterian Hospital examined his brain scans after he began experiencing memory loss and mental haziness. The doctor believed that the issue was caused by “a bug that had burrowed into my brain and eaten part of it, then died.”
The New York Times indicated that Kennedy stated his earning potential had been negatively impacted by cognitive issues at the time.
The report also mentioned that around the same time, Kennedy may have been suffering from mercury poisoning due to excessive fish consumption, which could lead to neurological problems such as peripheral vision loss, muscle weakness, memory impairment, and issues with motor skills, hearing, and speech.
Kennedy informed The New York Times that he had recovered from the symptoms of amnesia and brain fog, and the parasitic worm issue did not require treatment. However, his campaign team refused to provide medical records to the media.
When asked to comment on the matter, campaign spokesperson Stefanie Spear stated in a release, “As an environmental advocate, Mr. Kennedy conducted extensive travels in Africa, South America, and Asia and contracted a parasitic infection in one of those locations. This issue was resolved over a decade ago, and he is in good physical and mental health.”
“Questioning Mr. Kennedy’s health status is a ridiculous assertion for his competitors,” the campaign team added. The reference was to the presumed nominees of the two major parties in the 2024 presidential race—81-year-old President Biden and former President Trump, who will turn 78 next month.