Michael Bolton’s ‘super weird’ symptom that led to brain cancer diagnosis revealed
Grammy winner Michael Bolton has opened up about the “super weird” symptom he experienced just before he was diagnosed with a rare condition.
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Michael Bolton’s family is getting candid on his health journey.
Prior to the singer, 72, being diagnosed with glioblastoma — a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer — in December 2023, his daughters noticed signs that something was off.
In fall of that year, Bolton was hot off appearing on The Masked Singer and releasing an album earlier in July. But in November, the Grammy winner suffered balance issues and nausea while trying to perform at a charity event.
“Is this stress? Is this sleep?” his daughter Taryn recalled in an interview with People magazine published Wednesday.
“He’d been working non-stop that whole time. Travelling, doing shows, doing all of these things,” she said. “We were like, he’s getting older, he’s tired, he’s stressed out. All of these things we sort of explained in a way, one by one.”
Then, during a family bowling night right after Thanksgiving, Bolton kept bowling out of turn — which was unusual for the musician.
Daughter Taryn called the incident “super weird.”
“That was when we were like, ‘Something’s wrong with his brain,’” she recalled.
“Everything that happened was weird for him but not super alarming. When you look back at everything together … We missed so many things.”
Taryn, 45, and her sisters, Holly, 47, and Isa, 49, were stunned by a second incident that occurred that night.
“He fell out of his chair to the left, which is very unusual. He’s super athletic, and he doesn’t drink,” Taryn recounted. “So he fell, and we were like, ‘What just happened?’”
Bolton also suffered from a “bad” headache that weekend, which prompted him to go to the hospital on Monday. While there, the songwriter underwent an MRI that showed he had a brain tumour.
The tumour was then fully removed and doctors confirmed it was glioblastoma a week later. He also had a second brain surgery in January 2024 due to an infection.
Bolton confirmed to People that he finished radiation and chemotherapy in October and now undergoes an MRI every two months. Although his April scan was clear, it is common for glioblastoma to recur.
“You’re reaching into your resources and your resolve in a way that you never would have thought,” he shared. “Succumbing to the challenge is not an option. You’re really quickly drawn into a duel. I guess that’s the way you find out what you’re made of.”
Bolton’s short-term memory, speech and mobility have all been impacted by the treatments. Through his recovery, the actor has taken up meditating, golfing and working out with a trainer.
He has also been working on recovering his voice through voice lessons and online voice therapy.
“I find comfort in general more easily. [The whole experience] gives me a heightened sense of appreciation. It’s unthinkable for it to be okay not to make the most of your life,” explained Bolton.
As for his biggest piece of advice throughout it all, he explained: “I think we develop capabilities and problem management, and we learn how to make the best out of a bad situation. You have to be a cheerleader for yourself.
“Whenever you find yourself in any kind of challenging position, just to know that you’re not alone going through it is a big deal.”
These days, Bolton has spent his time recovering at home in Westport, Connecticut, surrounded by his daughters and six grandchildren.
“It actually helps people to know. It reminds them that they’re not alone,” he said.
As Taryn put it, “We’re in this together, and that’s it.”
This article originally appeared in New York Post and was reproduced with permission
Originally published as Michael Bolton’s ‘super weird’ symptom that led to brain cancer diagnosis revealed
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