Vince Neil of Mötley Crüe Reveals He Recently Survived a Stroke

Mötley Crüe’s frontman, Vince Neil, revealed that he suffered a stroke just one day after Christmas, leading to a major change in the band’s plans. Their highly anticipated Las Vegas residency, originally scheduled for March, has been postponed. The shows will now begin in September at Dolby Live at Park MGM.

“My Whole Left Side Went Out”

In an interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Neil described how suddenly the stroke struck. “I had a stroke; my whole left side went out,” he said. He went to bed feeling normal on Christmas night, but woke up the next morning unable to move. “I couldn’t get out of bed,” Neil recalled. Following this, the band decided to cancel the first part of the residency so he could focus on his recovery.

The original dates, planned from March 28 to April 19, were pushed back. At the time, the band stated the delay was due to “a required medical procedure recently advised by vocalist Vince Neil’s doctors.”

Learning to Walk Again

Neil’s road to recovery has been a challenging one. “I had to learn to walk again, and that was tough,” he said. “The doctors said they didn’t think I’d be able to go back on stage again. I said, ‘No, no, I’m going to do it. Watch and see.’”

From being carried to the bathroom, to using a wheelchair, then a walker, and finally a cane—Neil worked tirelessly to regain his strength. “Now I don’t need anything, but it’s like a full-time job getting back to where you feel good again,” he explained.

Hard Work and Determination

Although Neil did not lose his voice, the stroke affected his motor control. “It takes a while to get your brain to start moving your legs, for them to do what your brain wants them to do. You try to walk, but it doesn’t come out right,” he said.

His recovery included agility drills with a Nashville football coach and plenty of running. “It’s been tough, but I’m back. I’m 90 to 95 percent where I was before, and it’s going to be great.”