Chely Wright Reveals She Suffered A Stroke In 2018
“It’s been a long year, but I am okay,”she says.
Chely Wright Pictured in 2016; Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for Americana Music
Country singer Chely Wright suffered a health scare exactly one year ago and she’s opening up about it for the first time in a candid Facebook post with hopes to help others.
In a post shared to the social media platform on Friday (Nov. 1), Wright revealed that she suffered a stroke in 2018.
“It’s been a long year, but I am okay,” she shares.
After experiencing what she thought was a migraine for three days straight, which she says “isn’t uncommon” for her, the singer decided to head to the emergency room to “to get this headache out of the way.”
When her doctor examined her, he “was troubled by some the symptoms of that day’s headache” and soon confirmed that she had a stroke.
“A stroke,” she writes. “I’d just turned 48.”
Looking back, Wright says she had an inkling that something was wrong that day.
“I sort of knew it,” she admits. “What I had been experiencing with that headache and leading up to that headache was different. I’d even said aloud to myself in the bathroom mirror, ‘Did you have a stroke?’”
Now, on the one-year anniversary of her stroke, Wright says she’s sharing her story in an effort to help others. “Pay attention to your body and encourage your loved ones to do the same,” she urges.
Wright closed her note with a message about the United States healthcare system.
“Again, I am okay and very grateful to have access to quality medical care. As we all know, not everyone in America has that luxury. We have to fix that.”
Wright is currently on the road in support of her Revival EP, which was released earlier this year.
Written by
Lauren Jo Black
Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.