Kimberly’s Vocal Cord Issue, Explained
Brad Paisley has been wed to his beautiful wife Kimberly Williams-Paisley for over two decades.
Like her husband, Kimberly is also an entertainer, but she’s an actress, known for roles in movies like Father of the Bride, Christmas Shoes, and more.
Kimberly has not shied away from sharing a recent vocal cord injury with her fans on Instagram. The beloved actress has been open about her struggle and thankful for fans who have supported her along the way.
Brad Paisley will be performing at the 2024 AMAs on Sunday, October 6th. The American Music Awards will be celebrating a very special 50th anniversary. Before her husband takes the stage, find out more about Kimberly’s health.
Kimberly Williams-Paisley Diagnosed With Laryngeal Nerve Damage
Kimberly revealed that she had lost her voice due to laryngeal nerve damage in an Instagram post in August 2024. She posted that she underwent surgery on her vocal cords and thanked her doctor for helping her get her voice back.
The actress admitted that she explored many different ways to repair her voice. “I have damage to my laryngeal nerve. I tried everything I could to heal it,” she wrote in the post.
Brad Paisley’s wife also explained that she was feeling very self-conscious about her vocal cord injury. “I haven’t wanted to share about this much until now because it felt too vulnerable,” she wrote. “I’ve been the quietest in the room.”
Kimberly explained that not being able to use her voice for self-expression was heartbreaking. “I’ve felt meek. New people I’ve met thought I was a shy or reserved person. I’ve felt trapped in my body,” she explained.
What Is Laryngeal Nerve Damage?
While Kimberly didn’t share many details about her vocal cord injury. She did explain that it was a form of laryngeal nerve damage, and she said one of her vocal cords was paralyzed.
The Mayo Clinic notes that vocal cord paralysis can be caused by nerve damage as well as by viral infections or certain cancers. Many of the symptoms are very common for anyone who has lost their voice, including hoarseness, losing vocal pitch, or a breathy quality of voice.
Other symptoms include trouble breathing, choking and coughing while eating, “ineffective coughing,” and regular throat-clearing.
How Long Has Kimberly Williams-Paisley Had Laryngeal Nerve Damage?
Kimberly was actually dealing with laryngeal nerve damage for a long time before publicly sharing it. In her post, Kimberly revealed that she had actually lost her voice at an event for Alzheimer’s in 2022.
In an Instagram Live chat with her sister, Kimberly revealed that felt like she knew she was losing her voice after going out for her sister’s birthday the night before the event. She said that when she got onstage, her voice was gone.
She said that after the event, she felt “traumatized” to lose her voice. She said that she spent two years trying to figure out why she lost her voice and why it wasn’t coming back.
“I’ve been going through a thing,” she wrote. “Almost two years ago I lost my voice on stage at my Alzheimer’s event in Nashville. It was embarrassing & scary & it never quite came back.”
How Is Kimberly Williams-Paisley Doing Today?
Kimberly revealed that she underwent a three-hour surgery to improve her vocal cords, which she was awake for. “I was awake for the three-hour laryngoplasty to plump up my paralyzed vocal cord so it hits the other one,” she wrote.
After sharing her update about her vocal cords, Kimberly thanked fans for their support in a follow-up post. “You reminded me of the power of authenticity, vulnerability and hope. I’m feeling validated and seen and ever more grateful,” she wrote.
The Christmas Shoes actress has also shared some updates on how she uses her scarves to protect the scar from the surgery from the sun. She seems very excited to show off her fashionable looks.
Not only that, Kimberly has begun to jump back into Instagram Live chats with her sister Ashley. They did their first Instagram Live chat on September 20, and they both seemed so glad to be back.
