Rick Springfield has learned he has brain damage resulting from a serious stage fall he endured 25 years ago.
The ’80s music icon, 75, said a recent brain scan showed “brain damage from the fall” that occurred during a Las Vegas show in 2000.
“I fell 25 feet, hit my head and then wood came down and hit my head, and then my head hit the stage again,” he told PEOPLE.
READ MORE: Beloved Aussie treat disappears from supermarket shelves
“I thought I had just broken my wrist, but on the scan I found out I have some brain damage from the fall, so I’m working on trying to repair that,” he said.
Springfield, whose biggest hit is Jessie’s Girl, explained he has been feeling his mortality lately and has been doing everything he can to enjoy good health, including confronting any health issues he has.
READ MORE: Hughesy ‘grew up in fear’ due to his father
“My dad died from not wanting to know [about his health problems],” Springfield explained.
“He thought he had stomach cancer for years and never got it checked out.”
It turned out his father had a treatable ulcer that ultimately burst and he died from blood loss.
READ MORE: Talking Honey: Ageing: Is age just a number?
“It could have been fixed if he had gotten it checked out,” the singer said, adding that the experience made him determined to be more proactive with his own health.
Springfield said he exercises every day and eats a largely pescatarian diet, which consists of seafood and vegetarian cuisine.
READ MORE: Our honest review of the Bose QuietComfort SC headphones
He also reduced his alcohol consumption two years ago.
”I’ll have a couple of sips of vodka or something when I’m onstage, but I don’t drink any other time,” he said.
Springfield is currently promoting Volume 2 of his Greatest Hits album ahead of his I Want My ’80s tour kicking off in the US on May 28.
The tour includes John Waite, Wang Chung and Paul Young.
80s stars – where are they now?
The ’80s rocker appeared on KLTA in the US to promote the tour and was asked about his writing process of late.
Springfield admitted his early work focused on dalliances, where as his later work deals with “a lot of different issues”.
“But the writing process is still the same, you’ve still gotta wait for something to land, you know?” he said.
“I’ll always believe it’s all [up] there and it just has to come through you.”
FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.
