Country music star Phil Vassar revealed that he faced two life-threatening incidents earlier this year, experiencing a heart attack and a stroke that stopped his heart for nearly 30 minutes.
Despite being given little chance of survival, Vassar made a remarkable recovery, crediting quick medical intervention and his determination.
“I wasn’t a drinker or a partier,” Vassar said. “I worked out every day. I never ate anything fried. It just caught up with me, you know, the genes.”
“They shot me straight down to Atlanta. Stroke protocol, all that stuff. So they iced me down,” Vassar said.
“Everybody was asking, ‘Did you go through a tunnel?’ I said, ‘Yeah, I don’t remember anything.’”
The heart attack occurred unexpectedly at home, and if not for a companion’s quick thinking and the subsequent emergency response, the outcome might have been dire.
He humorously recounted being medically frozen during treatment for the stroke, recalling no memory of those events.
“They had to shock me 11 times and cracked some ribs,” Vassar said.
Vassar expressed a newfound appreciation for life and acknowledged the limitations his health now imposes.
Known for his contributions to country music, including hits for other artists and a successful solo career, he emphasized the importance of modern medicine in his survival and continues to be active in both music and charitable efforts.
“I’m not pounding it like I used to. I think I did 100 shows that one year … the year I croaked. I feel great. I mean, I love singing. I appreciate it more, I can tell you that. We appreciate being here, being alive,” he said.
“Thank goodness for medicine. I probably would not have lived a few years ago, but now they can stint you and fix your — I mean, you think you’re doing everything right, and then it all goes wrong, right? It’s just weird that way. But that’s life, I suppose.”
