In a new interview with Taste of Country, Phil Vassar reveals harrowing details about his heart attack and stroke that took place back in early 2023. Vassar says that the medical emergencies he experienced actually caused the 62-year-old country star to die twice. “I just had genetic heart disease,” he shared. “I wasn’t a drinker and a partier, or any of that. I worked out every day. You know, I kept feeling bad so I kept really concentrating on my health and trying to — I never ate anything fried or anything like that. Never did. It just caught up with me, you know, the genes.”

Vassar was at home when he suffered his heart attack, and when the medical team arrived the singer says he was shocked “11 times and cracked some ribs. They did a heck of a job getting me back.” Vassar revealed that he had a stroke three days after the heart attack, while he was in the hospital. “It was a weird thing, but I dropped dead,” Vassar disclosed. “I was dead for 30 minutes a couple of times — died. No heartbeat. No heartbeat at all. Thank goodness for medicine.” (People)