Billy Joel’s Daughter Breaks Down Watching Video of Him Falling on Stage
Billy Joel’s eldest daughter, Alexa Ray Joel, has always cherished watching her father on stage—until she witnessed him take a tumble during a 2025 performance.
“He tried to play it down,” Alexa Ray, 40, shared with The Hollywood Reporter in an interview published on Thursday, March 12. She noted that her dad, 76, had advised her to skip watching the Mohegan Sun show in Montville, Connecticut, where he fell after spinning the microphone.
Alexa Ray, the daughter Billy shares with ex-wife Christie Brinkley, admitted she disregarded her father’s advice.
“He understands my anxiety and tendency to worry, so he said, ‘Everything’s okay. It was just a minor trip,’” she remembered. “When I viewed the footage, I was in tears.”
Once the initial shock passed, Alexa Ray became actively involved in her father’s medical journey.
“I accompany him to the doctors, and we’re staying on top of everything,” she revealed. “I just encourage him to maintain his health.”
The “Piano Man” singer revealed in May 2025 that he would be canceling tour dates due to his diagnosis of normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH).
NPH is a brain disorder characterized by fluid buildup in the skull, which, if untreated, can cause irreversible brain damage, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
“This condition has worsened due to recent concert performances, leading to issues with hearing, vision, and balance,” Billy’s team stated via Instagram at the time. “Following his doctor’s advice, Billy is undergoing targeted physical therapy and has been instructed to refrain from performing during this recovery phase.”
The statement further expressed, “Billy is grateful for the excellent care he is receiving and is fully dedicated to prioritizing his health. He appreciates the support from fans during this period and looks forward to the day he can perform again.”
Despite stepping back from performing to concentrate on his health, Billy made a surprise appearance in January for a brief two-song concert at Wellington’s 30th birthday celebration in Florida.
“Once a performer, always a performer!” Alexa Ray remarked to THR about her father’s eagerness to sing and entertain his fans. “But health is paramount. I told him, ‘If you decide to perform again, please stay seated at the piano. No more microphone spinning!’”
Alexa Ray—who will perform for Billy on Thursday during The Music of Billy Joel tribute event at Carnegie Hall in New York—stated that her father is definitely on the mend.
“He’s regularly attending physical therapy and doing great. He’s lost weight due to his diet,” she shared. “I’m so proud of him. He’s such a fighter, resilient and dedicated to being healthy and proactive. He’s always been a fighter, discussing in his documentary how life resembles a fight.”
In addition to Alexa Ray, Billy is the father of daughters Della Rose, 10, and Remy, 8, whom he shares with wife Alexis Roderick. Alexa Ray has two more siblings from her mother’s side. Brinkley, 72, has a son, Jack, 30, and a daughter, Sailor, 27, with ex-husbands Richard Taubman and Peter Cook, respectively.
