Josh Windass reveals he only found out of his dad Dean’s dementia from a fellow Sheffield Wednesday teammate at a coffee shop.
It was only when Owls defender Max Lowe spoke to him about it that Josh first found out about it, saying it was news to him.
Josh Windass also reveals he is raising awareness of how to prevent such conditions in later life. Dean Windass meanwhile has spoken on his recent diagnosis, and the support he’s had from the public…
Josh Windass reveals to me that he only found out about his dad Dean’s dementia from a Sheffield Wednesday team-mate while they were in a coffee shop 👇🏻 #SWFC #EFL https://t.co/qXuucBoLH8
— Justin Allen (@justinallen1976) March 14, 2025
Josh Windass said in an interview with SunSport: “I found out in a coffee shop. Max said, ‘Sorry to hear about your dad’s dementia’ and I thought, ‘Oh! That’s news to me!’
“He’s well loved within the football community. He’s a bit of a nutter and people like that about people.
“I don’t think he’s struggling too badly. I speak sometimes to my brother, who is keeping tabs on him. He’s sound.
“When news like this comes out people always think the worst. But it’s not a severe grade at the minute and he’s not having too many problems.
“The first thing I asked was if he still knew my name and he did, so I didn’t ask him too many questions.”
On raising awareness on how to prevent suffering from such conditions in later life: “You don’t want anyone getting dementia or any other illness.
“You want everyone on the planet to be healthy in an ideal world so it’s important to raise awareness to help people prevent it.
“Even things like eating healthily. It’s not just for making you look good at the beach, it’s great for your lifestyle and health.
“It’s something me and my missus speak a lot about — curriculums in schools, people don’t get taught enough about diet or illness and stuff like that. There needs to be more focus.
“A lot of the stuff that gets people excited are the things you probably shouldn’t do such as drinking alcohol and eating bad food.
“There’s a time and a place for that but it’s important to raise your kids especially to drink water, eat fruit and vegetables.
“When you’re 50, I’ve seen people who go on all these diets and things — but by that point it’s a bit late.
“I’m on the side of the fence that you can have a good time but our bodies are more important. People don’t take care of themselves as much as they should.”
He added: “If you’re eating and drinking things that are going to damage your brain then you’re not going to be the happiest person in the world.
“If you can do little things that can help make you feel a bit better, you’re going to be happier and healthier.”
Joining talkSPORT‘s Hawksbee and Baker live from Cheltenham on Wednesday, Dean Windass talked about his recent diagnosis.
He said: “Well, how it came around, it was John Stiles, [from] FFJ, because they’re trying to get the PFA to fund these families.
“So I got asked a year ago to go in the scan machine. It sounds silly, but I was a guinea pig really, and [they] said, ‘Look, obviously you played for 20 years, would you go in?’
“I declined, I said no. Because I’m 55 now, but as you get older, you do start to forget things. I think we all do, don’t we?
“And then I got put in a WhatsApp group with John Stiles, who’s a comedian on the circuit where I work.
“And he said, ‘Look, would you go in?,’ And I went, ‘OK then’. And that was like a year-and-a-half-ago.
“So then the diagnosis came out that I’d got mild dementia, and I kept it quiet because of the kids, because of Kerry [his wife], because of my mum.
“Because they [the doctors] said to me it’s not a major problem at the minute, maybe in ten to 15 years [it will be].”
Dean Windass calls for more dementia support, saying he’s scared for the future after diagnosis
On the discovery, he said: “I wish I wouldn’t have gone into it, that scan. I wish I wouldn’t have volunteered.
“But I have. I know the results, it could be five years, ten years [before his condition deteriorates].
“I could walk out of here and get run over by a horse. You don’t know, do you?”
On the public response, he said: “It’s been crazy. A lot of sort of love, a lot of sympathy, I would think.
“Listen, more love, because I don’t want sympathy. As you say, my son’s [Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Josh] in the public eye.
“And it’s very difficult, and I don’t want to be a burden on anybody.
“But now it’s all come out, and now I’ve gone into that machine [had a scan], I’m hoping that I’ll help other people.
“If I help one person, or if I help one family, or if the PFA do step up and go, ‘Come on.’ There’s a lot of money that goes into the Football Association.
“So I just hope that it does spark a fuse, really.”
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