This JESUS REVOLUTION Actress Celebrates ‘Miraculous’ Surgery
By Movieguide® Contributor
Kimberly Williams-Paisley, actress and wife of Brad Paisley, is recovering from voice box surgery after a difficult two years.
“I’ve been going through a thing,” Paisley said on Instagram Aug. 17. “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. It’s been a challenging couple of years, but we finally got to the bottom of it.”
“I have damage to my laryngeal nerve. I tried everything I could to heal it (so thank you, but please don’t give me any tips!),” she continued.
Per the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, there are two laryngeal nerves, which branch from the vagus nerve, that supply the larynx (voice box).
“I was finally able to have surgery this week at @vanderbilthealth with expert surgeons, & it is sounding so much better!! I have a bad*** scar that’s smiling at me across my neck. (Swipe for the drawing my brother made on top of the image if you can handle it. ??).” She said.
“I haven’t wanted to share about this much until now because it felt too vulnerable,” the actress explained. “I took for granted my ability to ‘use my voice’ before—for my career, for a good cause, for a timely joke, for SELF-EXPRESSION, for a loud dinner party. Instead, I’ve been the quietest in the room.”
Paisley explained she felt out of place and unseen.
“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 said.
“I’ve been through shame & self-loathing, all kinds of training, breathing techniques, & braces & healing & laughing & crying & explaining. I’ve met many amazing helpers along the way who’ve become amazing friends & I’m feeling SO GRATEFUL,” she said.
Paisley was lucid for her entire laryngoplasty, which was three hours long. The procedure “plumped” the paralyzed vocal chord so that it would touch the other one.
“She’s so happy not to be doing all the work by herself anymore. She was EXHAUSTED,” Paisley joked, referring to her paralyzed chord.
“I watched a lot of it on a video screen above my head as it happened and all I can say is MODERN MEDICINE IS MIRACULOUS,” she shared. “THE OTHER GOOD NEWS: In the last two years, I’ve found power in using my voice in new ways.”
“I’ve healed old emotional wounds. I’ve learned the strength & beauty of silence. I’ve become a serious meditator. I’m deadlifting over a hundred pounds. I’m taking better care of my body. I’m managing stress. I’m dissolving shame. I’m feeling more whole, empowered & joyful,” she said.
But Paisley learned something from her painful experience.
“As I learned from a recent @katecbowler podcast, if you’re going through hell, don’t come out empty-handed. Was losing my voice worth it? Mm, not exactly. Was it worthless? Not for a second,” she said.
Paisley’s 1995 movie, FATHER OF THE BRIDE PART II, earned a Teddy Bear Award®, as well as her 2023 film, JESUS REVOLUTION where she played Greg Laurie’s mother.
Movieguide® previously reported on Paisley and her affinity for motherhood:
“It’s always bittersweet because literally just yesterday I put my 15-year-old behind the wheel of my car, and we just drove back and forth in the driveway,” Williams-Paisley explained. “We didn’t leave the property, but it’s bittersweet. It’s so fun seeing how they grow and evolve.”
The couple share sons William and Jasper.
“It’s so amazing when my kids make me laugh and when they come up with jokes that are just so smart and funny and make me laugh and to see how they’re evolving,” the actress continued. “I also miss who they were when they were so little and cute and adorable. It’s the greatest pleasure of my life and the hardest thing in my life too. I just feel so fortunate to be able to get to be a mom.”
On Father’s Day in June, Paisley shared a photo of her husband and one of their sons.
“He loves those two boys so much, and they love him right back. ❤️❤️❤️ Happy Father’s Day @bradpaisley, and to all the great dads out there, including mine and his!” she said.
Paisley’s husband also honored her on Mother’s Day, sharing a photo of himself and Paisley watching fireworks.
He said, “Happy Mother’s Day to the one who lights up the sky.”
- Content: +1Share:
- Content: +1