Luther Vandross Was Alone On The Floor For ‘Over 7 Hours’ Following Massive Stroke
Aug. 2 2019, Published 4:44 p.m. ET
“Never Too Much” singer Luther Vandross was at the height of his fame when disaster struck. In 2003, the star suffered a massive stroke which left him in a coma for nearly two months. Though he survived the health crisis, the musician died just two years later, following a catastrophic disruption to his heartbeat.
REELZ’s new docuseries, Autopsy: Luther Vandross, looks back at Vandross’ final years.
“The assistant knocked and didn’t get a response, and that was odd. And he tried a number of times, then he called Luther’s manager, who immediately panicked and told him just to break down the door,” says Vandross biographer Craig Seymour in the clip. “And once he got into the apartment, he saw Luther collapsed on the floor. He was still conscious. He said, ‘I need some water,’ he said, ‘call my momma.’”
Paramedics arrived to treat the star, but there was little they could do at the scene.
“We know that Luther was by himself on that floor, for over seven hours,” says Seymour.
“The damage to his brain would likely have been more severe as a result of the fact that he wasn’t found for seven hours. Chances of recovery from a stroke massively increase if stroke victims aren’t treated within three hours,” says Dr. Michael Hunter.
Autopsy: Luther Vandross airs Sunday, August 4 at 9 ET/ PT on REELZ.
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