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When I listen Rick Springfield, I always feel 20 years younger. His music and voice makes me always happy. That’s why I felt pretty down when I read about his recent health issues, which were just discovered.
Fell from a 20-foot-high beam
At 75 years old, Rick Springfield is a legendary figure in music and entertainment. Best known for his smash hit ”Jessie’s Girl,” he’s also a talented actor, with roles in shows like General Hospital and The Goldbergs. With decades of chart-topping songs and a loyal fanbase, Springfield has remained a beloved icon in pop culture.
But recently, the Australian-American musician revealed a shocking health discovery that dates back over two decades. In a candid interview with People, the 75-year-old rock star opened up about being diagnosed with brain damage, a result of a severe fall 25 years ago.
”I fell 25 feet, hit my head, and then wood came down and hit my head, and then my head hit the stage again,” Springfield shared. He had thought he only suffered a broken wrist at the time, but after undergoing a full-body MRI, he learned the extent of the damage to his brain. ”On the scan I found out I have some brain damage from the fall, so I’m working on trying to repair that.”
Rick Springfield circa 1975(Photo by GAB Archive/Redferns)>
The accident happened in 2001 during one of Rick Springfield’s performances in Las Vegas, where he was starring in the theatrical production EFX at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino.
During one of the final scenes of the second show, the ’80s icon was positioned on a 20-foot-high beam that was meant to lower him to the stage. However, he fell between 10 to 15 feet in front of the audience. At the time, Springfield thought he had only broken his wrist, but a recent MRI revealed more significant, long-lasting effects from the fall.
Tried ketamine therapy
Despite the diagnosis, Rick Springfield remains proactive about his health. Earlier this year, he shared that he had tried ketamine therapy to treat depression. “I wanted to see if it’d open a few things in my brain,” he explained to People.
While he admitted that his past experiences with LSD were more beneficial, he found the most significant improvement in managing his alcohol intake. “That has actually helped more than anything.”
Rick Springfield’s commitment to his health is deeply influenced by the tragic passing of his father, Norman James Springthorpe, on April 24, 1981. His father’s death serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of addressing health issues head-on.
“My dad died from not wanting to know,” Springfield shared. “He thought he had stomach cancer for years and never got it checked out. When he finally collapsed one day at home, they found out it was an ulcer that burst, and he died from the loss of blood. It could have been fixed if he had gotten it checked out.”
”A giant message to me..”
This experience left a lasting impact on Springfield, shaping his approach to health.
“That was a giant message to me: If you want to live long, you have to be prepared for some bad news now and then. I could find out I have terminal cancer tomorrow and be dead in a year, but I can only do all I can do.”
Since then, Springfield has gotten involved multiple times and performed for free to raise money for cancer research.
