Rachael Ray’s ‘slurred speech’ in emotional Mother’s Day video sparks fans' concerns: ‘I hope she's OK’

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Celebrity chef Rachael Ray caused another massive stir amongst her fans as she appeared to slur her words in a new emotional cooking video on Sunday, May 11.

The 56-year-old chef took to her social media to pay tribute to her late mother by sharing an emotional video on Mother’s Day. In the video, Ray looked back at the time when she used to make ends meet on a budget of $40 per week.

She then explained how her mom "showed [her] how to make something outta nothing" and how she took that to heart, never asking for money so as not to worry her.

Rachael Ray pays emotional tribute to her mom on Mother's Day

In the Instagram clip, the celebrity chef started by talking about her humble beginnings in New York City. “When I lived in New York as a very young woman, I was very, very poor,” she mentioned.

“I didn’t want to bother my mother. I didn’t want her to feel scared for me. So I would never ask for money. And I didn’t have any,” she further added, according to Page Six.

Ray then went on to reveal how things took a turn for the better when she got a reality show titled '$40 a Day'.

“Eventually, I did a show called ‘$40 a Day'. And that was my budget for a whole week. I would buy a week’s food, and I only had $40,” she asserted.

The TV personality claimed that she has always been "grateful" for having mastered the basics of cooking, such as beans and vegetables with a "little protein."

“I’m deeply thankful for it,” Ray said, adding, “It’s made my life what it is.” She recalled living off those key ingredients for “a long time.”

Fans raise concerns over Rachael Ray’s 'unrecognizable' appearance

As Rachael Ray paid tribute to her mother, fans took note of what many described as her "unrecognizable" appearance. “I hope she’s OK,” one user said.

“I don’t recognize Rachel [sic] 😮,” another wrote, as a third added, “Rachel [sic]. Are you okay? You don’t look well.”

The fourth user pointed out her slurred speech, saying, “She’s slurring her words.” However, few users came out in Ray’s defense, with one saying, “She looks fine. Leave her alone.”

“She’s having some health issues. Hopefully, people will understand and show her grace as she goes through it,” a second wrote.

"...Health is a gift, let's be kind or silent. We never know what people are going through," someone else wrote, in part.

Rachael Ray talks about feeling her ‘time might be shorter’

In November 2024, the celebrity chef opened up about feeling "time might be shorter" as she gets older.

"I've gotten worse as I've gotten older, because I feel like time might be shorter, and I want my time to be more, every minute of it," she explained during a candid conversation with 'The Biggest Loser' trainer Bob Harper, 59, on her new podcast 'I'll Sleep When I'm Dead'.

This came just a month after Ray confessed that she had suffered "a couple of bad falls in the last couple of weeks."

In an October episode of her podcast, Ray explained that she enjoys doing "physical labor" around the house.

"I'm a homemaker. I love chores. I love being in the kitchen. I always work with my brain every,day, I'm always writing something, but I really like chores," she said, adding, "I like what people consider physical work. I like making dinner, planning dinners, [and] making lists. I love physical labor, helping carry in the wood."

"I've had a couple of bad falls in the last couple of weeks, so I haven't been doing that in a while, but I love carrying wood," Ray continued.