In a terrifying health incident, country music star Ronnie McDowell was taken to a hospital after his tour manager noticed something gravely amiss during a performance.
McDowell, 75, was performing in Pennsylvania over the weekend “when he began to slur his words and started ‘not making sense,'” according to WKRN-TV.
The incident occurred Saturday evening in Oley, as part of the Summer Solstice Music Festival.
When McDowell’s tour manager noticed the issues about three or four songs into the set, he paused the concert and brought McDowell off to the side.
There, the country star admitted he did not feel OK, and the concert was subsequently cancelled.
(Of note, McDowell said he thought he had had a stroke.)
McDowell was rushed to a hospital in Reading, where he underwent medical examinations.
According to one of his sons, McDowell’s family was able to visit him in the hospital.
“He’s talking to us, and we’re waiting to do the MRI,” McDowell’s son posted to Facebook.
Another of McDowell’s sons posted a generally positive update — while noting that his father’s initial fears of having had a stroke turned out to be true.
“My Dad is being released from the hospital today,” Ronnie McDowell Jr. posted to Facebook. “I’m very sorry that I haven’t been able to post anything, I just haven’t been myself. I want to thank my incredibley amazing wife Dana with all my heart and soul for taking the reins for me and informing everyone on whats been happening.
“Dad is in good spirits today. He did suffer a mini stroke the other day on stage here in Pennsylvania. I knew something wasn’t right as I had his vocals in my in ear monitor and I could hear him slurring his words and forgetting the words to his songs that he has sang for many years.
“After a few minutes I had Steve to play a solo while I took my Dad off side stage to ask him how he was feeling. He told me that he wasn’t ok, and thats not how my strong Dad talks, he said that he thought that he might be having a stroke.
“I immediately took him to the Sprinter for him to cool off. I asked the incredible promoter to bring over an EMT. He was incredibly helpful. He and I agreed that Dad was having a stroke by his actions. I immediately had our friend Diana call an ambulance. They took him to the Reading hospital.
“I will say this, that every single person at the hospital was so incredibly nice and helpful.
“The Doctors told him that he will need surgery in the next few weeks. They do want him to take it easy but they said that he can perform and workout in the next few days. He was so happy about that.
“When he got out, he wanted to go to his favorite Italian restaurant. We are all heading home now.”
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