Indie folk sensation Sufjan Stevens revealed Wednesday that he’s suffering from Guillain-Barre Syndrome, and is re-learning to walk again.
Stevens is in the process of releasing his upcoming album “Javelin,” but hasn’t been able to undertake any press or promotion. “Last month I woke up one morning and couldn’t walk. My hands, arms and legs were numb and tingling and I had no strength, no feeling, no mobility. My brother drove me to the ER and after a series of tests—MRIs, EMGs, CAT scans, X-rays, spinal taps (!), echo-cardiograms, etc.—the neurologists diagnosed me with an autoimmune disorder called Guillain-Barre Syndrome,” Stevens wrote on his personal website.
Stevens was treated with immuno-hemoglobin infusions, which stopped the syndrome from spreading to his lungs, heart, and brain. He said the situation was “very scary, but it worked.”
He was then transferred to an acute rehabilitation program, where he’s rebuilding his strength so he can learn to walk again. “It’s a slow process, but they say I will ‘recover,’ it just takes a lot of time, patience, and hard work,” he continued.
Stevens is hopeful he’ll be walking again within the year, as the rehab is going really well, and he’s in great spirits. (RELATED: Jewel Claims Her Mother Embezzled More Than $100 Million From Her)
Most people will remember Steven’s song “Mystery Of Love,” which was written for the movie “Call Me By Your Name.” Or Millennials like me will know him from “The O.C.” where his hit track “For The Widows in Paradise, For the Fatherless in Ypsilanti” played during the funeral for Johnny.