Ronnie McDowell credits the intuition of his son and tour manager in coming to his immediate aid as he suffered a stroke on stage more than two months ago.
The country music artist, 75, described to Taste of Country the series of events that unfolded in the scary scenario at the Summer Solstice Music Festival.
The Fountain Head, Tennessee-born musical artist revealed that he was onstage on June 21 in Oley, Pennsylvania when he suffered what doctors later diagnosed as a stroke.
McDowell said he was heard slurring his words as he spoke with the audience during the summer festival concert.
The Older Women singer said it was at that point both his son and tour manager intervened to see that he was OK.
McDowell told them, ‘No, I think I’m having a stroke,’ at which point he was rushed to a nearby hospital.
Ronnie McDowell, 75, credits the intuition of his son and tour manager in coming to his immediate aid as he suffered a stroke on stage in June. Pictured in Nashville in 2020
Ronnie was pictured with his spouse Sylvia on February 8, 2016 in Nashville, Tennessee
The You’re Gonna Ruin My Bad Reputation vocalist said doctors confirmed he had indeed suffered a stroke – and required surgery to clear a blockage that triggered the medical emergency.
McDowell said that his doctor said that the surgery was not essential to do immediately, and that he could go home and rest up before returning for the complicated medical procedure.
The King Is Gone singer said his doctor told him he had an abnormally-strong heart.
McDowell told the outlet that his doctor said: ‘I’m gonna let you go home, and let me tell you why – I’ve been doing this 30-something years – I listened to your heart, and you’ve got the strongest heart I have ever heard.’
The In A New York Minute artist said his physician advised him of his heart: ‘That’s what saved you. Because you were 70-, almost 80 percent blocked.’
‘He said, “Your heart was pumping through that really hard, and it scraped the plaque off.”‘
The All Tied Up vocalist eventually underwent surgery and described to the outlet a complication that ensued during the medical procedure.
‘They woke me up the first time, and the doctor said, “Ronnie, I hate to tell you this, but we gotta put you back to sleep, because a … hematoma formed and we’ve got to wash it out,”‘ McDowell said.
The singer said his son Tyler (pictured) and tour manager intervened to see that he was OK during the June incident
McDowell said that his doctor said that the surgery was not essential to do immediately because he had an abnormally-strong heart. Pictured in 2010 in Nashville
The singer was pictured in 1977 alongside the late Dick Clark on American Bandstand
McDowell said that side effects from the anesthesia he was on were ‘quite unbearable.’
The country singer added, ‘The swelling and how I felt was just terrible, but I’m improving every day.’
McDowell was emotional as he spoke about the outcry of support he’s received in the wake of the health scare this summer.
‘Most times I go to my mailbox there’s so much mail in there, I can’t hardly get it out,’ McDowell said. ‘I’m sure the post office is wondering why Ronnie McDowell is getting so much mail all of the sudden. But it just shows you how people care.’
McDowell said the health scare has altered his outlook on life, making him appreciate every day that much more.
‘It makes you realize, every morning when we get up – you, me, every human – that we take for granted that all this stuff is just gonna work perfectly,’ McDowell said. ‘You know, we’ll all so fearfully but wonderfully made.’
‘I mean, just, in a second, you can be dead. When the ticker stops ticking, you’re gonna leave here anyway.’
