[352] On April 13, 1992, Reagan was assaulted by Richard Springer while accepting an award from the National Association of Broadcasters in Las Vegas,[353] though Reagan was not injured.[354] Reagan also addressed the 1992 Republican National Convention,[355] and spoke publicly in favor of the Brady Bill,[356] a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget, and the repeal of the 22nd Amendment. His final public speech occurred on February 3, 1994, during a tribute to him in Washington, D.C.; his last major public appearance was at the funeral of Richard Nixon on April 27, 1994.[357]
In August 1994, Reagan was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, which he announced through a handwritten letter in November.[358] There was speculation over how long he had demonstrated symptoms of mental degeneration,[359] but lay observations that he suffered from Alzheimer's while still in office have been widely refuted by medical experts;[360][361][362] his doctors said that he first began exhibiting overt symptoms of the illness in late 1992[363] or 1993.[362] Over time, the disease destroyed Reagan's mental capacity, leaving him able to recognize only a few people including his wife. 