Colt Ford Says He 'Died Two Times' After Heart Attack During Dierks Bentley Show

Country star Colt Ford recently shared a harrowing account of his near-death experience following a performance in Phoenix, Arizona, where he suffered a heart attack in April. 

The 54-year-old artist recounted his ordeal in an interview on the Big D & Bubba show, revealing that he has no recollection of the night.

"I didn’t even remember coming out here to do a show in Phoenix, and apparently we played this great, sold-out show and it was incredible," Ford said during the phone interview. "I walked back to the bus, texted my fiancée, 'Hi baby,' and fell over dead."

Ford described dying twice before reaching the hospital, expressing gratitude for his band members who rushed to his aid. "I died two times. Luckily, my band came out to check on me... All of a sudden, that's when all hell broke loose."

His representative said Ford had recently performed at Dierks Bentley's Whiskey Row in Gilbert, Arizona, before the incident. He was later found in "stable but critical condition in the ICU." 

Recalling the moments after texting his fiancée, Ford admitted, "I don’t remember anything." He was informed that he was transferred to another hospital for better care, but he "died on the way over" before being revived by medics.

"The Lord had more for me to do, more music for me to make, hopefully more differences to make in some people’s lives," Ford remarked, reflecting on his survival.

Upon regaining consciousness two days later, Ford was given a grim prognosis by his doctors. "I had so much trauma to my body and my heart, they had to put three stents in," he said. "There’s just so much going on, and then all of a sudden my gallbladder crapped out on me."

Despite his challenges, Ford expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support he received during his recovery. "It's been life-changing. It's been spiritually changing. Obviously, it’s been physically changing," he shared emotionally.

Ford emphasized the importance of cherishing each day and vowed to return stronger than ever. "Live every day like it’s your last because one day it will be," he advised. "I’m gonna try to come back bigger and stronger and better than ever."

Ford has had health issues over the last several years. The singer revealed in 2021 that he had been diagnosed with eye cancer. After beating it, Ford revealed in 2023 he had been diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis.

"Last year I got diagnosed with an autoimmune disease called Myasthenia Gravis," Ford told Taste of Country in May 2023 while kicking off his new album, Must Be the Country. "It's been tough. The last year quite honestly got really hard for me. It's a disease and there's no cure for this."

According to the Mayo Clinic, Myasthenia Gravis "causes muscles under your voluntary control to feel weak and get tired quickly. This happens when the communication between nerves and muscles breaks down."

Last week, the country singer shared a video from his hospital bed, revealing a sizable chest scar from his recent surgery. He didn’t mince words, acknowledging that he'll likely be sidelined from concerts for the remainder of the year as he focuses on recuperating.

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