Mary Tyler Moore's husband, Dr. Robert Levine, is sharing a few details about her private life in light of the recently released HBO documentary Being Mary Tyler Moore.
In a new interview, Levine discussed how after being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 1969, she "suffered many complications" from the disease.
"The one thing that had the greatest impact on her was the fact that she was nearly blinded by it in her later years. Mary had such narrowed visual fields and such limited central vision that she was unable to read," he revealed, noting it also became difficult for her to walk on her own since she would trip or bump into things.
"For a woman who was in her heart a dancer and so physically capable and so independent, just imagine what that would mean to you, to have your joy robbed from you," Levine, 68, shared. "Visual loss from diabetes was a big issue for Mary."
However, the brunette beauty's hardships were what inspired her to help spread awareness on the disease, which also caused issues with her heart and kidneys.
"Mary was just an enormous role model for an entire community of people with diabetes. She helped raise billions of dollars for the support of diabetes research," the mom-of-one's husband boasted. "She was an advocate in front of Congress and in front of administrations. She knew she was someone the world loved, appreciated and trusted. And as someone who was personally living with diabetes, she wanted to help."
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Levine noted the Emmy winner spent her "last chapter" of life focusing on "advocacy and social purpose."
"She was determined to make a difference," he insisted.
Moore died at age 80 in 2017 due to cardiopulmonary arrest, which was made worse by a bout of pneumonia.
HBO's Being Mary Tyler Moore debuted on Friday, May 26.
Fox News Digitalinterviewed Levine.
