Billy Ray Cyrus has revealed he suffered “vocal paralysis” following a “near-fatal” bout of sepsis in 2024.
In an interview for People published Wednesday, the Achy Breaky Heart singer recalled how he was hospitalised after becoming ill.
Cyrus noted that his whole body became “swollen” and the doctors even urged him to get his “affairs in order” at one point.
“I don’t know exactly how it evolved. It was my worst nightmare. Two years before that, my mom had died in that hospital, in the very floor that I was on,” he told the outlet, referring to the passing of his mother Ruth Ann at the age of 85 in 2022.
Cyrus emphasised that it was a “miracle” that he survived sepsis – which is characterised as when the body has an extreme response to an infection.
“I had a prayer answered,” the 64-year-old stated.
In addition, Cyrus faced vocal paralysis in the wake of the health scare.
But with encouragement from his children, including daughters Miley and Noah Cyrus, as well as grandson Bear, the country music star was able to turn a corner. Bear is the son of Braison Cyrus and his wife, Stella McBride.
“In this very broken moment of my life, my little grandson Bear looked at me and said, ‘Try again.’ And up until that moment, he had never spoken to me at all. I wasn’t even sure if he knew my name. In that moment I thought, ‘He’s telling you something.’ Is it about love? Music? Somehow, I got to try again at both. So I’m learning to try again,” he added.
Cyrus is set to release his new album, The Hill, on 16 June.
