Musician Billy Joel revealed he underwent surgery to implant a shunt in his brain after being diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus.
The 77-year-old "Vienna" singer shared on SiriusXM on Sept. 9 that he had noticed issues with his physical stability. "I noticed that my balance was not good. I have this sense of being on a boat, like this this rocking motion," Joel said. "I wasn't steady on my feet. I didn't know why that was."
His neurologist explained that normal pressure hydrocephalus is a buildup of cerebrospinal fluid that puts pressure on the brain, according to the Mayo Clinic. The doctor warned the condition could be progressive and recommended implanting a shunt, which is a medical tube used to drain excess fluid.
Joel recalled his initial reaction to the proposed procedure. "I said, 'Well, what does that entail?' 'Well, we drill a hole through your skull and we stick a shunt inside your brain.' I said, 'Nah, I think I'll pass on that.'"
After researching the operation, the artist realized the tube could improve his stability and cognitive function. "I don't want to lose my marbles. It's hard to tell what's age and what's a condition," he noted. "So, I agreed to do the shunt and I had a surgery."
Following the operation, Joel reported noticeable health improvements. "My memory got better, my balance got a little better, my ability to function was better," he said, adding that "it actually improved things."
Surgical Treatment and Loud Music Link
While Joel noted that "nobody's sure" what causes hydrocephalus, medical professionals believe his decades of performing contributed to the diagnosis. "The doctors told me this, because of my job, which is playing rock and roll music very loud, that it was giving me something like a concussion every time I did a show," he explained. "It was causing damage to my brain nerves and I could be losing more brain cells the more I played, the more shows I did."
The medical advice prompted the "Uptown Girl" singer to cancel all his concerts in May 2025. "I realized that means I shouldn't be doing this right now. I got to improve. They don't want me to stress too much," he said. "So, I'm doing physical therapy. I'm doing whatever it is they tell me to do, because I don't want to lose it, you know?"
Joel reassured fans that he is "OK" following the procedure. "I just want people to know, don't worry about me. I'm not going anywhere. I'm here. I'm still here," he added.
Joel is one of numerous public figures who have publicly shared details about their recent health struggles and medical operations.
Emergency Operations and Sudden Illnesses
In May 2026, BFFs podcaster Brianna "Chickenfry" LaPaglia underwent emergency surgery after doctors discovered a large ovarian cyst twisting her organs and causing internal bleeding. "There was a half a liter of blood in my pelvic floor," LaPaglia shared in a TikTok video, adding that surgeons made five incisions across her stomach and accessed her belly button with a camera to locate the blood.
Total Bellas alum Nikki Garcia revealed that one of her breast implants shifted after receiving an elbow slam from fellow WWE star Piper Niven during a July 2025 wrestling match. Garcia recounted telling her doctor that she plans to get the implant repaired once her wrestling career concludes, noting to her sister Bella Garcia that she is newly divorced.
Oscar-winning 12 Years a Slave actress Lupita Nyong'o revealed in 2025 that she was diagnosed with uterine fibroids in 2014, writing on Instagram that she had been "suffering in silence" for more than a decade. In July 2025, Daisy Jones & The Six star Suki Waterhouse shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, that she was hospitalized with a hernia caused by wearing tight pants six months earlier.
Beverly Hills, 90210 alum Brian Austin Green revealed in an April 2025 Instagram video that he was recovering from surgery for a perforated appendix that nearly burst. In sports, Racing Louisville midfielder and United States Women's National Team player Savannah DeMelo collapsed mid-game during a Sept. 14 match against Seattle Reign at Lumen Field in Seattle. The National Women's Soccer League later confirmed on X that DeMelo received immediate care and was transported to a local hospital, where she was reported stable and alert.
Chronic Pain and Severe Physical Trauma
Actor Adam Devine revealed on a 2025 episode of the In Depth With Graham Bensinger podcast that injuries from being hit by a cement truck at age 11 continue to affect him. Devine noted that he experiences full-body spasms and that doctors had previously told him he was dying within the past year.
Bachelor Nation alum Jason Tartick disclosed on a March 2025 episode of his Trading Secrets podcast that he arrived at the hospital "crawling on all fours" due to severe back pain aggravated during an RV trip. Tartick explained that tingles extended from his knees to his toes, leaving him temporarily unable to perform a single-leg squat before recovering with steroids and care from a back specialist.
Real Housewives of Orange County star Gina Kirschenheiter shared that her ex-husband Matt Kirschenheiter survived a heart attack in March 2025. That same month, 30 Rock actor Tracy Morgan was wheeled out of Madison Square Garden during a New York Knicks game before confirming on social media the following day that he had suffered food poisoning.
Even Stevens and Kim Possible star Christy Carlson Romano shared on Instagram in February 2025 that she was shot in the face during a clay pigeon shooting accident while celebrating husband Brendan Rooney's birthday. Romano was struck in five places, including less than an inch from her right eye, with a fragment remaining lodged behind her eye because surgical removal was deemed too risky.
Life & Beth creator Amy Schumer disclosed on a January 2025 episode of Call Her Daddy that public and medical comments regarding facial swelling led to a diagnosis of Cushing syndrome. Schumer explained that scar steroid injections following a C-section and breast reduction triggered the condition, later noting in a February 2024 newsletter that her form of Cushing syndrome would resolve naturally.
In professional sports, American Hockey League player Casey Fitzgerald received 25 stitches in December 2024 after a skate blade cut his neck during a game, prompting his father, New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald, to tell ESPN that the family felt very lucky.
Stroke Symptoms and Neurological Crises
Model Hailey Bieber experienced stroke-like symptoms, facial drooping, and speech loss while having breakfast with husband Justin Bieber in March 2022. Scans revealed a small blood clot in her brain caused by a transient ischemic attack, leading doctors at UCLA to diagnose a patent foramen ovale heart defect that required a successful closure procedure.
In June 2022, singer Justin Bieber announced he was diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, a viral condition affecting ear and facial nerves that caused facial paralysis and forced the cancellation of his Justice World Tour. His wife later confirmed on Good Morning America that he was recovering well.
Oscar winner Jamie Foxx revealed in his 2024 Netflix special What Had Happened Was... that an April 2023 headache in Atlanta led to a brain bleed and stroke. Foxx recalled losing consciousness for 20 days and requiring therapy in Chicago after waking up in a wheelchair unable to walk.
Reality contestant Tracey Yukich revealed on Fit for TV: The Reality of The Biggest Loser that her organs began shutting down due to rhabdomyolysis after she collapsed while running a mile during the show's first challenge.
Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke detailed in a 2019 New Yorker essay that she survived a subarachnoid hemorrhage stroke caused by a brain aneurysm after falling ill at a gym, undergoing emergency surgery and temporarily experiencing aphasia. Clarke required a second brain surgery through her skull after a 2013 scan showed a growth had doubled in size, later confirming a full recovery.
Snoop Dogg's daughter Cori Broadus recovered from a severe stroke in January 2024, during which she also experienced kidney failure related to lupus, as reported in a December 2024 E! News interview. Meanwhile, Big Little Lies actress Shailene Woodley shared on a September 2024 episode of the SHE MD Podcast that she resolved a decade-long health battle involving hearing loss, severe stomach pain, and mobility issues that began in her early 20s.
