This article was originally published on Crafting Your Home. A human contributor also wrote and edited the post.
The post Lionel Richie Hospitalized Again as Atrial Fibrillation Treatment Forces Him to Cancel Three Tour Dates first appeared on Crafting Your Home
Lionel Richie, 77, has been hospitalized for a second time in about a month, and this time sources say the cause has a name. TMZ reported that Richie is currently hospitalized and receiving treatment for atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat, and that doctors are treating him with AFib ablation.
Sources described the procedure as minimally invasive and said it is not considered major, working by creating tiny scars inside the heart that block the faulty electrical signals behind the irregular rhythm. As a result, Richie has canceled his next three concerts on his joint tour with Earth, Wind & Fire.
The cancellations affect shows scheduled for Saturday, September 26, in San Francisco, Tuesday, September 30, in Chicago, and Friday, October 2, in Columbus, Ohio.
Page Six reported that it had reached out to Richie’s representative for comment and, as of publication, had not received a response confirming the diagnosis directly from his team.
That gap between what sources tell outlets and what Richie’s camp has said publicly runs through this entire story, and it is worth keeping in mind as you read on.
What Led to This Latest Hospitalization
This is not Richie’s first health scare of the year, and it is not even his first hospital stay in the past month. TMZ reported that he was hospitalized in the intensive care unit in St. Louis after performing at The Muny in Forest Park on Saturday, August 29.
Witnesses at that show told TMZ that Richie appeared to be struggling toward the end of the performance and asked his team to bring him a chair so he could sit down while singing his closing number, “All Night Long.”
Reality Tea reported that The Sun, citing sources, said he spent three days in the intensive care unit and was treated for what were described only as “cardiac-related issues” during that stay.
At the time, the public explanation was far less specific than what is being reported now. TheGrio reported that TMZ’s initial coverage pointed to doctors investigating possible mild dehydration, and outlets including NRI Globe described the hospitalization as precautionary rather than a confirmed serious diagnosis.
TheGrio was explicit that there had been no public announcement confirming Richie had been diagnosed with a heart condition, and that his representatives had not disclosed a specific diagnosis or the results of his testing.
Reality Tea reported that People, citing sources close to Richie, said he was later discharged and returned home to continue recovering, and that he was “doing good.”
That August scare followed an earlier one. TMZ reported that Richie was also rushed to a hospital in June after falling ill onstage during a concert in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Reality Tea described that episode as a dizzy spell during a performance at the Grand Casino Arena, saying Richie briefly paused the show, sat down, and then continued performing.
Taken together, the June episode, the August ICU stay, and this latest hospitalization for atrial fibrillation form a pattern of recurring health issues that have surfaced during a demanding touring schedule.
What Atrial Fibrillation and AFib Ablation Actually Involve
Atrial fibrillation is a type of irregular heartbeat, and the sources who spoke to TMZ used that exact term to describe Richie’s current diagnosis.
The treatment reported for him, AFib ablation, is described by TMZ’s sources as minimally invasive, creating small scars in the heart tissue to interrupt the faulty electrical signals that cause the irregular rhythm, with the goal of restoring a normal heartbeat.
According to that same reporting, ablation for AFib is not considered a major procedure, which contrasts with the alarm an ICU admission can understandably cause among fans.
It is worth being precise about what has and has not been confirmed. No outlet reviewed for this story has published a statement directly from Richie or a named representative confirming the atrial fibrillation diagnosis or describing the ablation procedure in his own words.
The reporting instead comes from sources TMZ describes as having direct knowledge of the situation, and it has since been picked up by Parade, Page Six, and other outlets citing TMZ.
That distinction matters, since it means the diagnosis, while consistently reported, has not yet been confirmed on the record by Richie’s team.
Richie is not new to navigating health setbacks around his touring schedule. Years earlier, he postponed the launch of his All The Hits Tour with Mariah Carey after a knee procedure kept him from being ready in time, saying in a statement that he did not want to disappoint his fans and that he was looking forward to being back onstage.
That history suggests a performer accustomed to adjusting his schedule around his health when necessary, which may offer some context for how the current tour cancellations are being handled.
What This Means for the Tour With Earth, Wind & Fire
Richie has been on the road this year on a joint tour with Earth, Wind & Fire, delivering shows built around his catalog of hits, including “Dancing on the Ceiling,” “Endless Love” and “All Night Long.”
The three canceled dates in San Francisco, Chicago, and Columbus are a direct result of this latest hospitalization, according to TMZ’s reporting.
No information has been made public about whether additional dates beyond those three could be affected, or about a timeline for Richie’s return to the stage.
For now, the most complete picture available is built from unnamed sources speaking to TMZ, since Richie and his representatives have not issued their own public statement laying out the diagnosis or a recovery timeline.
Page Six’s outstanding request for comment to his rep reminds readers that an official account from Richie’s camp has not yet arrived. Fans should expect the picture to become clearer if and when Richie or his team speaks directly about his condition and the road ahead for the tour.
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