Drake White has revealed that he suffers from a debilitating brain condition called arteriovenous malformation (AVM), something I had never heard of until I was diagnosed with it 6 years ago.
Drake revealed his diagnosis just days after nearly collapsing onstage during a concert performance and being hospitalized.
The incident happened in the middle of his performance at Elmwood Park in Roanoke, Va., on Friday August 16th when he started to feel light-headed, lost all energy and could not stand up.
Drake later apologized to fans on Twitter saying
Hey friends- sorry we had to cut it short tonight. I’m getting checked out by some of Roanoke’s finest docs and will keep you posted. Thanks for your prayers and continued support. Love ya!
— Drake White (@DrakeWhite) August 17, 2019
Drake opened up to People magazine revealing that he has been battling this rare brain condition called an arteriovenous malformation (AVM), which is a tangle of abnormal and poorly formed blood vessels. According to the Mayo Clinic, “The arteries are responsible for taking oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the brain. Veins carry the oxygen-depleted blood back to the lungs and heart. A brain AVM disrupts this vital process.”
Drake tells People:
“It was basically stealing blood from my brain. The neurologist told me that I should be thankful it was caught in time, because it could have caused a stroke.”
He has undergone eight months of treatment and told PEOPLE that his doctor is confident that they have “knocked out 75% of the mass.”
Hey my friends – I am beyond overwhelmed by the outpouring of love, prayers and good vibes the past few days. I’ve felt them all. I’m gonna take some time to rest up and I can’t wait to get back out there with y’all.
DW. pic.twitter.com/ZWL1pVPBuk
— Drake White (@DrakeWhite) August 19, 2019