Lionel Richie is recovering at home after his recent hospitalization, but those closest to the 77-year-old music legend reportedly hope the frightening episode will finally convince him to slow down and put his health first.
Richie returned to Los Angeles after spending three days under medical care in St. Louis following his August 29 concert at The Muny. People familiar with his condition now say he is back home, feeling okay and maintaining his usual upbeat mood.
The health scare began after fans noticed Richie struggling toward the end of his St. Louis performance. During his closing song, “All Night Long,” he asked for a chair and finished part of the performance while seated before later checking himself into a hospital for tests.
Doctors initially investigated possible mild dehydration, but Richie also underwent cardiac-related testing while he was hospitalized. He was eventually discharged on September 2 and returned home to continue recovering.
Now attention has shifted toward his family, particularly his three children — Nicole Richie, Miles Brockman Richie and Sofia Richie Grainge — who were reportedly extremely worried by what happened.
According to someone familiar with the family, Richie’s daughters especially want their father to reduce his demanding work schedule. They reportedly see him as someone who has always been there for them and now want him to give the same attention to taking care of himself.
Their concern is understandable because the St. Louis hospitalization was not an isolated incident. Only a little more than two months earlier, Richie experienced another health scare while performing in St. Paul, Minnesota.
During that June concert, Richie told the audience he felt dizzy and strange before ending the show early. Paramedics met him backstage, and he was taken to a hospital for evaluation, forcing subsequent tour dates to be postponed.
Richie recovered and returned to performing, but having another episode so soon afterward has renewed questions about whether his busy touring schedule may be becoming too demanding.
Despite the concern, the latest reports about his recovery are encouraging. Richie is said to be surrounded by family at home, remaining optimistic and feeling much more like himself after leaving the hospital.
His next scheduled concert is currently September 26 in San Francisco, giving him several weeks away from the stage. There has been no official announcement that the performance has been canceled.
For Lionel Richie’s children, however, the priority reportedly goes beyond the next concert. After watching their father experience two frightening health incidents within just a few months, they simply want the man who has spent decades performing for audiences around the world to slow down — and make sure his own health comes before the next show.
