Phil Vassar has touched on what it felt like to die twice, and the miraculous efforts performed by the first responders when be "dropped dead."
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The country singer, 62, spoke to Fox News Digital about the medical emergency he suffered in 2023. During his Christmas tour with Deana Carter, he suffered both a heart attack and then a stroke within the span of three days.
After suffering his heart attack, he was hit with a tremendous stroke. When he spoke to Taste of Country last year, he said that he "dropped dead." Not only that, but he was "dead for 30 minutes a couple of times."
"No heartbeat. No heartbeat at all."
Such awful medical experiences knocked the singer off his feet, and he was in rehab for over a year.
"The lifesaving crew, these guys... what they do is just amazing," Vassar said about the first responders. "They could have given up... but they just kept going. They blasted me back to life."
"I wish I could tell you more about it, but I don't know," he explained. "I just remember I wasn't feeling well and... just something wasn't right."
Although he worked out and took great care of his health, his genetics got hold of him and delivered him one hell of a hit. But it wasn't enough to keep him down.
Phil Vassar Describes Relearning The Piano
While in rehab recovering for his stroke, Phil Vassar said how he almost forgot how to play piano.
"It was definitely slow... learning how to walk again and getting back... on the treadmill," he said of his time in rehab.
"They brought a piano in my room at rehab and I just sat and looked at it for a while... they said, I just started playing... it kind of came back, and I was very, very, glad to have that happen."
Recovering from a stroke is mighty work and takes a long time. It's possible the muscle memory from having played the piano before helped stimulate his muscles and encourage his recovery further.
The singer is gearing up now for his comeback tour, 25 Years of Paradise, which is a huge testament to his recovery efforts.
