Veteran singer Gary Valenciano on Sunday underwent an emergency open heart surgery.
In a statement posted by his management company Manila Genesis Entertainment and Management Inc., Valenciano said he started to feel “a sensation I’d never felt before” after his performance with his son, Gabriel, to celebrate his 35th anniversary.
“Two weeks ago, I celebrated my 35th anniversary in entertainment with a dance performance with my son, Gabriel, and a beloved team that’s second family to me,” Valenciano wrote.
“To some, it may have looked like routine movements for my songs from yesteryears, but that performance is one I won’t ever forget. My life from that point would never be the same.
“After that dance, I felt a sensation I’d never felt before — not even during the times I would push myself, riding my mountain bike on the trails for extended periods of time — I felt tightness and pain in my chest,” he revealed.
According to Valenciano, it was after his check-up that he discovered that his left anterior descending artery has been blocked due to diabetes.
“Friends – the good news? I have a good, strong heart. The doctors are amazed. My heart and all its blood vessels, with the exception of one, are miraculously in excellent condition. Surprising after 39 years of Type 1 diabetes. The tough news? The one exception – the main valve, my left anterior descending artery (LAD) is 95% blocked and now has very thin walls, because of diabetes,” he wrote.
Valenciano also apologized to all the companies and shows he might have to miss because of his surgery.
“I now lie here on a hospital bed because I need a bypass immediately. I apologize to my ‘ASAP,’ ‘Your Face Sounds Familiar,’ and ‘Showtime’ families and fans, the companies and organizations i am scheduled to do shows for; the students from various universities I am so excited to meet… I was especially looking forward to ‘Unstoppable,’ Darren Espanto’s concert. I need to excuse myself from all these commitments until I fully recover from the bypass surgery,” he wrote.
He also said he deemed it necessary to reveal his real condition to prevent gossip and speculation.
“I thought it best to give you the details of my condition to prevent gossip and speculation that may be cause for worry and concern,” he wrote.
Valenciano, likewise, hopes to be back on stage once he has recovered. (ABS-CBN News)
