Country Star Opens up About Suffering a Stroke in the Middle of a Concert: ‘Like an Audible Gunshot'
Rising country star Drake White is opening up about the nightmare he suffered in 2019 when he had a hemorrhagic stroke onstage.
White, 42, known for songs like "Makin' Me Look Good Again" and "Power of a Woman," opened up about how he had just taken the stage at a concert in Roanoke, Virginia, before 2,500 guests, when he felt his left arm and fingers tingle and go numb.
"And then I heard a, I call it a gunshot. It literally sounded like an audible gunshot behind my left ear. And when it snapped, if you look at the video back, you can see me trying to push through it," White told Fox News Digital in a revealing new interview. "Everything flipped upside down... Everything slowed way down, and it just felt like I was walking in quicksand, and everything was heavy. My left arm was heavy, my left foot was heavy, and I knew right then, I was like, 'Well, dang, I'm having a stroke.'"
While White had already been diagnosed with a rare brain condition called arteriovenous malformation (AVM) and underwent four surgeries, he had been told the percentage of a rupture was less than 1%. However, that 1% happened.
"They told me, if it ruptures, that you would have a very good chance of, you know, death," he told the publication. "Death was kind of it. And so I just remember, keep breathing and keep praying and just keep, keep, breathing and get me to the hospital."
White said he had a significant "near-death experience," which "humbled me down to my knees. I realized that rock bottom had a basement. It really got me to a spot where I didn't know if I was gonna survive. And I just remember, keep breathing, keep rocking, and keep going."
Opening Up About His Recovery
While White was left paralyzed on his left side, he also faced an uphill battle mentally.
"The doctors came in and told me that I'd had a hemorrhagic stroke and that I had a long road ahead of me," he continued. "And that I would be lucky, they didn't say this, but I heard them murmuring that I'll be lucky to walk again, much less get back on stage."
Through hard work, dedication to his faith, and an electrical stimulation device developed by Bioness Medical that has helped him regain control of his left side, White has found his way.
Back in February, the music man opened up about how he continues to work on his recovery. In an Instagram post, he spoke about brushing his teeth with his non-dominant hand to motivate the other side of his brain.
"Did you know brushing your teeth using your non-dominant hand helps wake up parts of your brain you didn't know you had? After my stroke, I was paralyzed on my left side and set out to find all of the things that could help me return to the best version of myself. Why? Because when you force your brain to do something unfamiliar, it wakes up dormant pathways and builds new ones. It's called neuroplasticity. Small tasks such as brushing your teeth or opening a door with my left hand literally help rebuild and heal my brain," he shared.
Related: Country Artist Cancels Concert After Bus Accident Leaves One Injured
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This story was originally published April 21, 2026 at 12:52 PM.