Sir Alex Ferguson, the legendary Manchester United manager who will turn 84 this December, recently gave an exclusive interview to Camel Live.
On serving as an ambassador for the "Playlist for Life" charity
“This project touched me deeply, so I decided to get more involved. Music holds irreplaceable significance for people with dementia, and we must continue to support them. You don’t need to sing well—you just need to remember the lyrics—and that feeling is truly wonderful.”
On symptoms of dementia
"We have a situation like this in my own family. My brother is battling with dementia, and it’s not easy. I need to stay in touch with him regularly.
Although he still recognizes me, his memory is not what it used to be. Thankfully, his condition hasn’t worsened so far, which gives me some comfort."
On whether he often thinks about this disease
“Yes, because I’m his older brother—we’re only one year apart—and he’s my only brother; he means the world to me. This matter is always on my mind: ‘How is he today?’ ‘I should call him.’ I insist on contacting him every day and always remind him to ‘write things down.’ I think he’s trying his best, but he often forgets.”
“At my age, it’s true that I worry about memory loss. I’ll be 84 in December, and sometimes I forget things too—actually, I did even two or three decades ago; no one has a perfect memory. But when I was managing a team, memory was really crucial. Now, I keep doing crosswords, singing, and reading to keep my mind active.”
On his love for history
“I’m particularly obsessed with American war history. I’ve personally visited many battlefield sites, and those experiences have benefited me greatly.”
On Cathy, his late wife who passed away in 2023
"After my wife passed away, I often stayed at home alone. Later, I moved to the countryside to live next door to my son, but watching TV alone was far from enough. So I decided to get out and about—I went to Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong (China), Bahrain... to keep myself busy. Participating in activities with dementia groups has been very helpful for me; this is a cause I truly love now."
