Heartbreaking Details Dick Van Dyke Has Shared About His Health & Getting Older

For Dick Van Dyke, 2025 marked his 100th year of life. Born in 1925, the "Mary Poppins" star has experienced many lifetimes' worth of career achievements in the entertainment industry, from helming the comedic genius that was "The Dick Van Dyke Show" (1961-1966) to flaunting his stamina in dance numbers from "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" (1968), and even showcasing his masterful sharp wit decades later in the 2006 Ben Stiller hit comedy "Night at the Museum." However, ahead of his centennial on December 13, Van Dyke admitted that life, no matter how successful it has been, can sometimes look overwhelmingly bleak at his age.

"It's frustrating to feel diminished in the world, physically and socially," the Hollywood legend wrote in a November 2025 essay for The Sunday Times. Van Dyke detailed the many pitfalls that come with getting older, including the loss of many people who were close to his heart. "...Every single one of my dearest lifelong friends is gone, which feels just as lonely as it sounds," he said. On top of that, Van Dyke revealed how his career has slowly thinned out, something that has also happened to his social life. "Though I still do guest spots on TV, and ads and videos, I miss going to the studio every day for a regular series," Van Dyke explained, later adding, "I get invites to events or offers for gigs in New York or Chicago, but that kind of travel takes so much out of me that I have to say no."

Even with his mortality on the mind, Dick Van Dyke seemingly isn't going into Year 101 with any dread. During a fundraiser for The Van Dyke Endowment of the Arts in October 2025, the "Bye Bye Birdie" actor made it quite clear that his funny bone is one thing that hasn't diminished over time. Among the talk of his birthday, Van Dyke said (via People), "That's right. I'm not officially a hundred until December. Two months. Two months." He morbidly joked of the milestone, "It'd be funny if I didn't make it." Alas, there are plenty of aspects of Van Dyke's life that are keeping him going, especially his love life.

The actor met his wife, Arlene Silver, at the 2006 Screen Actors Guild Awards. They began as friends, but when Michelle Triola, Van Dyke's partner of over three decades, died of lung cancer in 2009, Silver was there to comfort him, and a natural connection formed. The couple tied the knot in 2012, and although they have one of the biggest age gaps in celebrity relationships — 46 years — their bond is the key to Van Dyke's happiness. As he wrote for The Times, "Without question, our ongoing romance is the most important reason I have not withered away into a hermetic grouch."