Due to serious health issues, Lionel Richie’s singing career almost ended. Richie persisted in spite of multiple operations and a potentially fatal throat ailment. He admitted, looking back on his lowest points, “It was the end of the world.” Solace came only with the birth of his son.
Richie’s problems didn’t stop at his throat. He had a hip replacement after years of performing on stage and suffering from arthritis. After the surgery, he made jokes about feeling “bionic.”
Additional obstacles surfaced when a knee injury threatened to end his career. In the end, surgery helped him recover. Richie’s perseverance comes through in spite of these difficulties, solidifying his place in music history.