Randy Travis: The singer for whom music is a magical healer! Know how he got his voice back 3 years after losing it in a brain stroke!
The magnificent singer!
Randy Travis is an American brilliant country singer and songwriter who covered a long distance from his humble childhood to being the world’s most popular and award-winning musician.
He was playing guitar when he was just 8 years old. He was a childhood rebel and a juvenile delinquent.
His comeback into a socially acceptable position was due to his love for music and the support of club owner Elizabeth ‘Lib’ Hatcher who later became his manager and also his wife (since 1991).
Randy had said of this relationship:
“I think we discovered how much we needed each other.”
He gave the world good music and 20 studio albums. His singles were common on Billboard charts and 16 of his songs were in the number 1 position.
He also several eminent awards and honors and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2016. He divorced his wife Lib Hatcher in October 2010. On 21 March 2015, he married Mary Davis.
Viral cardiomyopathy and brain stroke
On 7 July 2013, Randy was ill with a viral infection. This virus affected his heart muscles and led to heart failure. He was critical and admitted to a Dallas area healthcare facility.
Due to the affliction of the virus, his heart muscles were unable to pump blood to the body and his blood circulation suffered leading to a heart failure (medically congestive cardiac failure).
While still in the hospital, 3 days later, Randy Travis had a massive near-fatal brain stroke. The blood supply to part of his brain was cut off and hence it led to his inability to move the part of the body that was under the control of the affected part of the brain.
He had gone into cardiac arrest three times and doctors were wondering whether to continue the life support.
He also had brain swelling and needed a surgery to relieve it. His operation was successful and he was awake and alert. He was discharged from Baylor Heart Hospital (Plano, Texas) after three weeks.
He was put on physiotherapy and slowly started to walk around the house with a walking stick. However, he was unable to talk and sing.
His progress was slow and he gradually started walking short distances without assistance. In November 2014, his then-fiancee Mary Davis (now wife) said that he was relearning guitar and writing.
You may also like to read Denise Nickerson is showing signs of improvement after her massive near-fatal stroke which left her unable to walk and talk!
The miraculous comeback!
Randy Travis was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame for his contribution to country music. It was three years and three months after his stroke. He made it a point to stand throughout the induction and also sang ‘Amazing Grace’ for his surprised audience.
This was the first time that Randy had sung after his grave illness that had taken away his voice from him. He was excited but not completely happy.
On being asked how he felt, Randy had said:
“Damaged.”
His wife Mary explained:
“There is a perfectionist in him that knows he’s not singing exactly like he used to that keeps him from enjoying it like I wish he would,” she said. “I know the world, when they hear him, they can tell it’s Randy Travis, and the more he does it, the better it’s going to get.”
Mary has been his biggest support throughout his illness. She had realized that his life was music and she saw to it that he returns to it. Randy was able to remember all the song lyrics and used his left hand to play the guitar.
His right hand is recovering slowly from the stroke.
The couple had revealed that their biggest joy would be when Randy would be singing on stage again.
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