The singer and songwriter, Neil Young, has been diagnosed with several diseases, including Type 1 diabetes, Polio, and Cerebral palsy. However, he hasn’t let this stop him from performing, and has managed to become one of the best-selling and most influential musicians of all time.
Cerebral palsy
One of the biggest rock legends, Neil Young, is known for his great commercial success as a singer, producer, and solo artist. But he has also fought many health problems, including cerebral palsy. This disease is a disorder that affects the functioning of the body’s muscles and nervous system, causing poor coordination and loss of movement.
The condition first manifests in early childhood. Children with this disease are usually not able to walk, talk, or perform other basic physical functions. Various types of treatments are available. An orthopedic surgeon treats ligaments and tendons, and neurologists treat brain conditions.
Ben Young, the son of legendary rocker Neil Young, was born with cerebral palsy in 1978. After a number of setbacks, he has managed to live a normal life. He has also attended many of his father’s concerts.
Ben has been close to Neil throughout the years, and they have shared a lot of interests. In fact, they built a huge model train set together years ago.
Type 1 diabetes
Known as the rock n’ roll guitarist, Neil Young has been known to have a number of medical problems throughout his lifetime. He suffered from polio in his youth and a brain aneurysm at the age of 54.
While the newest of the rock stars, he has a family. His half-brother, Ben, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and inability to speak. In his heyday, he had to have 35-40 units of insulin daily. The good news is that he has since been able to manage his condition.
Among his many accomplishments, he has performed with the Pretenders in front of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005. That same year, he was hospitalized with a COVID-19, a disease akin to diabetes.
Not only has he faced health issues, he has also dealt with personal tragedies. He was left with a young daughter and an ill father. However, he was able to get back on his feet after receiving the proper treatment.
Polio
One of the most prominent musicians of the last several decades, Neil Young has a long history of health problems. He has suffered from epilepsy, diabetes, and many other illnesses.
When he was five years old, Young contracted polio. At the time, polio was considered a devastating disease. It had the ability to cause paralysis in children. In fact, before the Salk vaccine was created, polio was a life-threatening condition.
Polio was finally eradicated in the US in 1979. But Neil Young is still dealing with some health issues related to polio.
After he contracted polio, Young was left with a limp. It took him a long time to learn how to walk again. As a result, he frequently wore a back brace.
He also had to undergo surgery to remove his lower back vertebrae. Although he was able to get up on his own, he was still frail.
Young has written two books, Special Deluxe and Waging Heavy Peace. He has also written an autobiography.
Relationship with his ex-wife
If you’re a fan of Neil Young, you may be interested to know that his relationship with his ex-wife Pegi Young is over. They divorced in 2014 after 36 years of marriage. This was after the two had shared two children.
While they had their own personal careers, they were also able to work together in a charity organization. Their joint project was The Bridge School, a special needs organisation that helps children with severe physical disabilities. In 1986, they started the organization and teamed up to raise money for the school.
When their marriage ended, the pair did not talk much. But they were still involved in the music world. He wrote several songs dedicated to her and she appeared on many of his tracks. She also sang with him onstage.
During their marriage, they lived at the Broken Arrow Ranch. It was where they raised their two children. One of their children is Zeke, who has cerebral palsy.