The wife of Zac Brown Band member John Driskell Hopkins is opening up about living with ALS. Hopkins has been fighting the disease for five years now.
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But Hopkins continues to go out and perform despite his disorder. His wife Jennifer took to social media to share an update on the Zac Brown musician.
"My husband got on the tour bus last night as he has so many times in the last 20+ years,"
she wrote. "But this time, along with his guitar, he took a stool that he ordered and put together and will use when needed on stage. The guitar and stool sat by the door for several days. I have so many emotions these days, but the strongest is my admiration for this man that I am so lucky to be divinely connected to. Everyone sees him in pictures and videos standing strong on stage. But you have no idea what it takes for him to do that. The mental focus it takes for him to walk, keep his balance and do all the things."She then discussed how he has tried to power through ALS with sheer will.
Zac Brown Band Member Fights ALS
"We can't see that he claws the floor with his toes for three hours during a show to hold his body up with pride," she continued. "Every morning he rolls slowly and carefully off our bed and plants his feet on the ground. It takes a while to get his grounding. But he does it every morning. He gives the middle finger to this disease every morning, and I am in awe of his strength, perseverance, grit, determination, and love for the people around him. If there ever was a real Superman, he is it. We are so blessed to witness this incredible human being."
Hopkins first opened up about ALS years ago after being diagnosed during COVID.
"I told the guys back in 2019 that there was something wrong with me," he said. "Like, before COVID my bluegrass hand was, you know, this hand was doing great and this hand was slowing down. And all throughout COVID, I played gigs in Cul-de-sacs and private homes and back porches, and I noticed a little bit, but it wasn't until we got back out in the fall of '21 that I really noticed changes above and beyond me just not being able to keep up with bluegrass. It was more like, I was laughing on stage, and my legs were locking up."
