Maurice Dziwak speaks about his mother's severe lung disease on Promi Big Brother

On Germany's Promi Big Brother, reality TV star Maurice Dziwak spoke about his mother's serious illness.

She has asthma and COPD, a long-term lung disease, and Dziwak says breathing problems limited what they could do together throughout his childhood.

He says her condition has worsened and she now needs extra oxygen; he also says she has major vision loss after taking medication, including cortisone, for many years.

Dziwak became tearful as he described hearing his mother say she has little strength left and trying to encourage her to keep going.

He also worries about his father, whom he says is working himself very hard amid the family strain.

Fellow contestant Francesca Morgese, who lost her mother early, comforted him by pointing out that his mother is still alive.

Dziwak said he wants to help her, but does not know what more he can do; no further developments were given.