John Driskell Hopkins recently made a moving statement about his health after he was diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis).
For those unaware, the founding member of Zac Brown Band was diagnosed with ALS in December 2021 but remained silent for six months before sharing the tragic news with his fans.
While giving an interview to Fox News, Hopkins opened up about his health scare and how he chooses to stay active with the degenerative disease.
The 55-year-old said, “I’m almost busier now than I was before because I’m trying to get so much done. I’m tryin’ to fit it all in. I’m taking more family vacations. I’m in the studio more than I should be.”
“I’m still on tour with Zac Brown Band right now. You know, my fingers work. My voice works. It’s been compromised, but most of the set, no one would notice. And I’m playing different things on stage, but they still make sense,” he added.
Despite battling a serious health condition, Hopkins makes sure to do his favourite activities that give him pleasure and hope of staying healthy.
He said, “You know, I’m chasing the clock more than I ever have been. And what I worry about is that that is causing me stress, which might be exacerbating my condition. So it’s a bit of a catch-22, you know, I’ve created.”
“I hope that my progression continues to be slow and that I can sing for a long time, but who knows?” Hopkins said.
It is pertinent to mention that ALS, a rare and fatal nervous system disease, destroys nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain that control voluntary muscle movements such as breathing, walking, speech, etc.
