Clay Walker has been battling multiple sclerosis (MS) since 1996, and he’s had ups and downs with the disease over the years.
In 2925, there were definitely some “down” moments on that journey. This summer, he canceled a show due to side effects from a medical procedure he underwent to help his MS symptoms.
He’s also been performing seated more frequently, and sometimes needs assistance walking off stage.
In a new interview with People, Walker acknowledges that he’s “definitely going through a rough patch right now.”
“Does it bother me that people have to watch me struggle to get offstage? Yes it does,” he admits.
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But Walker also emphasizes that his band has adapted to his health issues, and work seamlessly to be his safety net onstage.
“They know if I’m struggling or not. All it takes is a glance,” the singer continues. “They are always there, especially my bass player Curt Walsh. I’m like, ‘Dude, if you see me falling, fall in front of me so I don’t get hurt.'”
Why is Clay Walker Going Through a “Rough Patch” With MS Right Now?
In March, Walker decided to undergo surgery to implant a baclofen pump device, which delivers a muscle relaxant directly to the spinal fluid. That medicine is supposed to reduce muscle stiffness, known as spasticity.
But he says recovery hasn’t been as smooth as he thought it might be.
“The surgery gave me a lot of hope, but so far, you know, it’s not great,” he notes. “It hasn’t done what I wanted it to. Balance has been an issue lately.”
He says he’s in physical therapy to help “dial it in properly,” and he’s making progress.
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“Am I walking perfectly? No. Am I walking better? Absolutely,” Walker continues. “I got on a treadmill the other day without a harness holding me up to keep me from falling, and I walked five minutes.”
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He also says he feels he’s “started to turn the corner” away from this most recent round of flare-ups and side effects.
Clay Walker’s Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Journey
- Walker was diagnosed with MS in 1996, when he was 26 years old.
- At the time, he’d already become one of country music’s hottest stars, with hits like “If I Could Make a Living” and “This Woman and This Man.”
- According to the Mayo Clinic, MS causes “breakdown of the protective covering of the nerves.”
- It causes symptoms like numbness, weakness, vision changes and difficulty with walking.
In his newest interview, Walker says he had a “horrific” prognosis when he was first diagnosed.
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“I was told that I wouldn’t be around very long and that I’d be in a wheelchair and that I would be dead pretty quickly because of the amount of lesions I had on my spinal cord and brainstem and brain,” he recalls.
But over the years, he’s beat the odds — and had a remarkable country music career in the process.
“We turned everything upside down,” Walker says. “We already won the battle, you know? We’ve got that to celebrate.”
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Walker says he’s adamant about not letting his MS keep him from the stage. His tour calendar shows a batch of dates already booked for next year.
“I’m not giving up,” says the singer, who emphasizes that his greatest “joy” comes from getting onstage.
“I’m like a pit bull,” he continues. “You can swing me off a cliff and I ain’t letting go.”
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Gallery Credit: Sterling Whitaker
