Wendy Williams is eager to have a jury determine the future of her guardianship, according to her health care advocate, Ginalisa Monterroso. In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Monterroso shared that the 60-year-old former talk show host is “excited” for the trial and “can’t wait to get her story out.” Williams, who has long been fighting claims of mental incapacity, hopes that a jury will decide if her guardianship should be terminated following additional mental competency testing.
“This is something that she’s been wanting to say, and she just can’t wait to clear the air about being mentally incapacitated,” Monterroso said. “And at the end of the day, she’s going to have a trial by jury, and it will be the jury who will be making the decision.”
The trial, which has not yet been scheduled, will come after further testing conducted by an independent neurologist. Williams’ legal team believes that this additional evaluation will support their argument that she is capable of managing her own affairs.
Williams has been in the spotlight for several years now, both for her successful career and the ongoing legal battles surrounding her mental health and guardianship. The legal dispute began after the television personality was placed under a guardianship arrangement, which she and her supporters have repeatedly argued was unnecessary and unjust. She is currently living in an assisted living facility in New York City, where she has voiced her dissatisfaction with the conditions and her treatment.
A Health Care Advocate’s Move to Protect Williams
Monterroso has played a key role in advocating for Williams, particularly in the aftermath of a welfare check on March 10, 2025. The welfare check came after Monterroso called 9-1-1 and wrote a letter to Adult Protective Services, prompting authorities to respond to Williams’ assisted living facility. According to the New York Police Department, Williams was escorted out of the building and transported to a local hospital for evaluation.
“It was just more of a strategic move to just kind of get more evidence because this case has been stuck,” Monterroso explained. She emphasized that the decision to have Williams transported by ambulance was a precautionary measure, allowing for a brief evaluation at the hospital and providing outside documentation from medical professionals regarding Williams’ mental state.
Monterroso claims that Williams “passed” the mental capacity tests conducted at the hospital, asserting, “She was alert and oriented, and we were satisfied with that.” These results contradict claims made by some medical professionals and guardianship administrators that Williams is mentally incapacitated, further strengthening the advocate’s stance that the guardianship is unwarranted.
ADVERTISEMENT
Williams’ Diagnosis and Controversy Over Mental Health
Williams’ health has been a point of contention in the public sphere, with her 2023 diagnosis of primary progressive aphasia (PPA) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) casting doubt on her ability to make decisions. However, Monterroso has questioned the diagnosis, suggesting that it may be inaccurate or incomplete.
“Well, there’s different stages of FTD, and we don’t even know if it is actually FTD because Wendy did drink alcohol,” Monterroso said. “And FTD and alcohol dementia are very similar.” She pointed out that alcohol-induced dementia is often reversible if the individual stops drinking, while FTD is a more progressive and debilitating condition.
Monterroso also argued that, if Williams had truly been diagnosed with FTD, there should be visible signs of decline by now, such as noticeable deterioration in speech, thinking, and memory. “If they’re saying that she had this back in 2023, you would see a decline. You would see something as far as her speech, as far as her thinking, as far as her messaging. There will be a big indication at this point that something’s wrong.”
Despite these challenges, Williams has consistently stated that she does not feel incapacitated and is determined to regain control of her life. On March 21, she told Page Six, “I am fabulous. I’m better than good, but have been accused [of] being otherwise.” She added, “I am very much alive. I deserve freedom, darling.”
Williams has also spoken publicly about her desire to be free of guardianship. In an interview with Good Day New York, she declared, “I passed the mental competency test at the hospital with flying colors.” She further emphasized that her primary goal was “getting out of guardianship.”
Living in Assisted Care and Advocating for Her Rights
Williams has been open about her frustrations with the memory care unit where she currently resides. In an appearance on The Breakfast Club alongside her niece Finnie, Williams described her living situation as “suffocating.”
ADVERTISEMENT
“I am not cognitively impaired but I feel like I am in prison,” Williams said. She voiced concerns about being surrounded by elderly residents, stating, “I’m in this place with people who are in their 90s and their 80s and their 70s. These people, there’s something wrong with these people here on this floor. I am clearly not.”
These statements underline Williams’ belief that her guardianship and placement in an assisted living facility are not based on an accurate understanding of her mental capacity. She continues to assert that she is capable of living independently and managing her own affairs, despite the legal and medical challenges that have been mounted against her.
The Road Ahead
As Wendy Williams prepares for the legal battle ahead, her advocates and supporters remain hopeful that the upcoming trial will clear her name and allow her to regain her independence. The decision to pursue a jury trial is an important step in her ongoing fight for autonomy, and the results of the mental competency tests will likely play a crucial role in the final outcome.
For now, Williams’ supporters continue to push for an end to the guardianship and the restoration of her personal freedoms. Whether or not the trial will be the turning point in her case remains to be seen, but for Williams, the opportunity to tell her story in front of a jury represents a long-awaited chance to reclaim control over her own life.
As the case unfolds, public attention is likely to remain focused on the issues surrounding guardianship, mental health diagnoses, and the rights of individuals in similar situations. Williams’ fight is not just about her personal freedom, but also about raising awareness of the complexities and potential injustices within the guardianship system.
