Country Music Star Billy Ray Cyrus, 64, Hails His Recovery From Sepsis a ‘Miracle’

Despite enduring a “swollen” body and doctors telling him to sort out his end-of-life plans, Cyrus describe the frightening ordeal as his “worst nightmare,” noting that the exact cause of how it started remains unclear.

Commenting on his newfound sense of wellness, Cyrus said, “I had a prayer answered. That’s a miracle.”

Cyrus, whose 86-year-old mom passed away in August 2022, also praised his daughter Noah’s song “Don’t Put It All on Me,” for saving his life after his sepsis fight and through the gradual restoration of his voice.

According to the Centers for Disease Control Prevention (CDC), is the body’s extreme, and potentially life-threatening, response to an infection. It happens when an existing infection sets off a dangerous chain reaction that spreads throughout the body, leading to widespread inflammation and organ dysfunction if treatment isn’t quickly obtained.

As per the CDC, infections that trigger sepsis usually begin in the gastrointestinal tract, lungs, skin, or urinary tract. If not treated quickly, the condition can escalate rapidly, leading to tissue damage, organ failure, and potentially death.

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Cyrus also credited his grandson for helping him through the “broken” chapter of his life.

Recounting when his grandson Bear told him to “Try again,” during his vocal struggles, Cyrus told People, “And up until that moment, he had never spoken to me at all. I wasn’t even sure if he knew my name. In that moment I thought, ‘He’s telling you something.’ Is it about love? Music? Somehow, I got to try again at both. So I’m learning to try again.”

Although Cyrus is unsure what led to his sepsis, the CDC explains that infections put people at risk for sepsis.

“When germs get into a person’s body, they can cause an infection. If that infection doesn’t stop, it can cause sepsis,” the CDC says. “Bacterial infections cause most cases of sepsis. Sepsis can also be a result of other infections, including viral infections, such as influenza. Fungal infections can also cause sepsis.”

Symptoms of sepsis may include one or more of the following:

• Clammy or sweaty skin
• Confusion or disorientation
• Severe pain or general discomfort
• Fever, chills, or feeling unusually cold
• Rapid heart rate or a weak pulse
• Shortness of breath

How Turning to Music Can Help Cancer Patients

Creating, listening, and even performing music can be a powerful tool. Most people have felt the positive effects of a musical experience, but fewer people know there is actually science to back it up.

Dr. Alexander Pantelyat, a neurologist at Johns Hopkins, told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview, “Just listening to music activates more brain regions simultaneously than any other human activity.”

A study published last year in the journal Parkinson’s Disease researched the effects music had on the brain. It found music can help reduce anxiety for patients. Dr. Serap Bastepe-Gray, who co-founded  the Johns Hopkins Center for Music and Medicine with Dr. Pantelyat, led the study.

“The guitar, which is portable, affordable, and one of the most popular instruments in the U.S., has potential as a motivational therapeutic tool both in the clinical and community settings,” Dr. Bastepe-Gray said.

Music therapy is a resource cancer patients turn to during treatment. Music therapy includes “creating, singing, moving, listening and/or relaxing” to the sounds of your favorite songs according to the National Cancer Institute.

This form of therapy can help relieve depression, stress, anxiety, and pain.

Pancreatic cancer survivor Joel Naftelberg can also attest to the power of music, as he found the support he needed from his music family.

Cancer Survivor Joel Naftelberg Learned to Dance on His Problems

“The people that were my heroes in entertainment and rock and roll have been my friends and have been some of the most supportive people that I’ve had in my life,” he told SurvivorNet.

Naftelberg describes his cancer as a “monster.” It’s “attacked every facet of [his] life,” but that doesn’t mean he’s let it get the best of him. Music has been his saving grace.

“I have found music and rock and roll to be transformational,” he said. “Doesn’t necessarily solve anything, but it does let us dance on our problems for at least an hour or two.

“Nothing better on a Friday afternoon than to hang with your friends and listen to beautiful music.”

Focusing on something you love is an important way to build resilience in the face of coping with cancer and chronic disease, psychiatrist Dr. Samantha Boardman previously told SurvivorNet. She explained what she calls the “three wellsprings of vitality,” which are connecting with others, contributing to the lives of others, and challenging yourself to continue growing.

“Those are the cores of vitality, and the core pathways to enhance your everyday resilience,” Dr. Boardman said.

Turning to Faith During a Cancer Journey

For some people, turning to faith can be a great way to keep spirits high when cancer starts taking an emotional and/or physical toll. New York City Presbyterian Pastor Tom Evans previously spoke with SurvivorNet about the importance of finding ways to cope with the complex web of feelings you may be experiencing after a cancer diagnosis.

“It is important to reach out in a simple prayer to God, even if you have never prayed before, you don’t know what to say, a heartfelt plea, ‘God, help me, be with me,'” Pastor Evans told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview.

“You can reach out to God, and you can reach out to people, your friends and family, and say, I can’t do this on my own. I need you.”

“It’s in that willingness to be open and to receive that we can actually find something deeper that we never would encounter without this hardship,” he continued.

Finding Support Through a Health Battle, or Loss of a Loved One

Feeling support from a friends, loved ones, or coworkers can help you express your feelings and maintain a positive attitude during a your own, or a loved one’s health battle or the aftermath of losing someone.

Licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Marianna Strongin previously wrote for SurvivorNet, that it’s “important that you surround yourself with individuals who care and support you throughout your treatment,” which she said can be an “arduous chapter.”

That being said, it’s very important to know your limits on what you can handle during treatment.

“Going through treatment is a very vulnerable and emotionally exhausting experience,” she wrote. “Noticing what you have strength for and what is feeling like too much extremely important to pay attention to as you navigate treatment.”

It is important cancer warriors in the midst of their fight to have a strong support system. So how can you support a loved on in your life who is fighting cancer? SurvivorNet suggests multiple ways you can do so.

Your Support System Matters Jill Kargman on Getting Through Cancer With Support from Friends

Dr. Shelly Tworoger, a researcher at Moffitt Cancer Center told SurvivorNet that “there’s a number of common things cancer patients can experience, such as anxiety, depression, financial toxicity, social isolation and sometimes even PTSD.” So helping to ease those feelings is a great way to support your loved one.

You can help complete household chores or running errands during the day, which your loved one may not have the time or energy to do. Or, you can simply lend an ear so patients can talk through their feelings, which can help them cope with what they are experiencing during this difficult time.

Meanwhile, there are some practical tips to help you interact with your loved one in a meaningful way. Our experts suggest to avoid asking how you can help. Instead, be proactive and offer tangible things you can do for them to make their lives easier. That could include bringing them food, cooking them dinner or playing a board game with them, anything that will bring them joy.

It’s important to understand that a support system can be made up of loved ones like family and friends. It can also be comprised of strangers who have come together because of a shared cancer experience. Mental health professionals can also be critical parts of a support system.

WATCH: Sharing details about your cancer diagnosis.

“Some people don’t need to go outside of their family and friend’s circle. They feel like they have enough support there,” psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik told SurvivorNet.

“But for people who feel like they need a little bit more, it’s important to reach out to a mental health professional,” Dr. Plutchik added.

Dr. Plutchik also stressed it is important for people supporting cancer warriors to understand their emotions can vary day-to-day.

“People can have a range of emotions, they can include fear, anger, and these emotions tend to be fluid. They can recede and return based on where someone is in the process,” Dr. Plutchik said.

Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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