Li Yaping Confirms Dementia After Public Appearance, Heartbroken and Choked Up Over Not Seeing Grandchildren for Years

75-year-old veteran Taiwanese entertainer Li Yaping recently confirmed having symptoms of dementia, and was even seen angrily scolding her son Yu Xiangquan for being unfilial and refusing to seek medical treatment. This has sparked concern from the public. On Tuesday (December 25th) Christmas Day, Li Yaping, Yu Xiangquan, and Rou Rou appeared together for the first time to talk about her current situation.

Li Yaping acknowledged that as she gets older, it's inevitable for her body to have ailments, and she prefers to let things happen naturally. She also said she doesn't want to be tortured by medical machines in the future and is terrified that brain surgery might be necessary after medical examinations. She said, even if she forgets everything, it might not be so bad—it would be like starting life over again. But she emphasized she would never forget the filial piety of Yu Xiangquan and Rou Rou.

Even on Christmas, Li Yaping continued working and recording shows. She shared that when she woke up in the morning, she was unable to get out of bed or stand up. She pointed out that, under Rou Rou's arrangements, she has already made preparations for future medical examinations. Seeing his mom scared of surgery, Yu Xiangquan quickly comforted her, revealing that he has already consulted doctors and that it's only a check-up, just a matter of prescribing the right medication.

However, when the topic turned to her late daughter Yu Yuanqi's two children, Li Yaping couldn't help but become emotional. She admitted that not being able to see her grandchildren is her greatest pain. She believes that possibly losing her beloved daughter Yu Yuanqi, plus not having seen her two grandchildren for years, led to her illness. She never expected things to end up like this, and simply hopes her granddaughter can make a phone call or occasionally come to visit them.

Yu Yuanqi's husband Chen Jian was accused in November 2024 of being part of a fraud syndicate, and received a two-year sentence with five months' probation. Li Yaping and her husband Yu Tian intended to fight for custody of their granddaughters, and ultimately reached a consensus with Chen Jian that the granddaughter would visit the Yu home at least twice a week. Yet, after more than a year, the family has still never seen the two grandchildren, leaving the Yu family heartbroken.