Nicholas Sparks On Gena Rowlands Alzheimer's Diagnosis ... 'Such a Cruel Disease'
"The Notebook" author Nicholas Sparks is lamenting Gena Rowlands' battle with Alzheimer's -- feeling for her and her family, and thinking about the sad parallel to the classic book and movie.
Nicholas says ... "Alzheimer's is such a cruel disease. On days like today, I'm reminded of Gena's powerful portrayal of Allie and the depth she brought to the character. Her performance touched millions of hearts and helped bring my story to life in ways I never imagined."
Of course, Gena's character in the big screen adaptation of Nicholas' famous romance novel battles the same disease she's now coping with in real life.