What a scary revelation from Billy Ray Cyrus!
The longtime country music crooner is opening up about an incredibly difficult chapter in his life — and near-death — and the details are genuinely shocking.
In a brand-new interview with People out this week, Cyrus revealed that he suffered a severe case of sepsis back in 2024 that landed him in the hospital and left him facing a frighteningly uncertain future.
Related: Billy Ray Cyrus Explains Why He Performs For Presidents Of Both Political Parties!
Even more heartbreaking, the experience took place in the same hospital where his mother, Ruth Ann, had passed away two years before, in 2022. Reflecting on the emotional weight of that moment, Cyrus shared this with People:
“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.”
So scary…
According to the singer, the illness became so serious so suddenly that his entire body was swollen. At one point, doctors even reportedly advised him to get his affairs in order. Which, uh, WHAT?! That is the kind of warning no one ever wants to hear.
Thankfully, the story did not end there. Despite the grim outlook, Cyrus says he lucky recovered fully, leaving even some of his doctors surprised by the outcome. And looking back on the ordeal now, he credits something greater than himself for helping him survive:
“I had a prayer answered [by God]. That’s a miracle.”
As if that challenge wasn’t enough, Cyrus later faced another major obstacle when he was then diagnosed with vocal paralysis, also in 2024. For a performer whose career has revolved around singing, the diagnosis raised painful questions about whether he would ever be able to return to music.
During that difficult period, he found comfort in a song performed by his daughter Noah and written by his son Braison. He explained:
“Noah’s got that one song, ‘Don’t Put It All on Me,’ that honestly saved my life.”
The lyrics particularly resonated with him:
“Some days, we might fall apart / But we’re never broken.”
Cyrus says the song became a source of strength while he struggled through one of the darkest periods of his life. He also found unexpected inspiration from his young grandson, Bear. He explained:
“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.”
The singer also had support from his girlfriend, actress Elizabeth Hurley, who encouraged him not to give up on his voice when he was doubting himself. He revealed:
“Elizabeth would say to me, ‘Do you understand your voice is coming back?’ She encouraged me to the point where she had me do The Masked Singer [season 14 aired in February]. And she said, ‘You need to do it to challenge yourself.’ And I thought, ‘God, why is she so smart?'”
Now, with his first new album in 14 years on the horizon, Cyrus sounds grateful for where he is today.
After surviving a terrifying health crisis and overcoming enormous personal and professional hurdles, he says he has finally reached a happier place:
“I’m singing — I’ve been singing every day. I feel so good about my voice. This might be one of the better moments.”
That’s quite a turnaround after everything he’s been through!
Here’s hoping Billy Ray continues enjoying good health, happiness, and many more years of making music.
[Image via MEGA/WENN]