Country star Ashley Cooke is opening up about a rare heart condition she says could strike without warning, calling the diagnosis “scary” as she prepares to launch her Baby Blues World Tour.
In an interview with Fox News, the 29-year-old singer revealed she has been diagnosed with Brugada syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that can trigger dangerous heart rhythms and sudden cardiac arrest.
Because the condition often produces no warning signs, Cooke said learning about it has been unsettling.
“You just have to go get tested for it and hope for the best,” she said. “It’s like young, healthy people that actually are the ones that end up passing away from it just out of nowhere. So, it’s a little scary.”
The Ashley Cooke star said the diagnosis has left her living with the reality that cardiac arrest could happen unexpectedly.
“It’s like young, healthy people that actually are the ones that end up passing away from it just out of nowhere. So, it’s a little scary.”
Still, Cooke said advice from a cousin who also has Brugada syndrome helped her put the frightening news into perspective.
“One of my cousins who also has Brugada syndrome, we were talking about it for a while, and he was like, ‘Hey, if you believe in God, which I do, your time is going to be your time no matter what. So whether it’s this or something else, just live your life and treat people well and hope for the best,’” Cooke said.
The singer said the condition has strengthened her resolve to make the most of every day.
Cooke said it has given her “even more of a purpose just to live my life every day.”
“It could be my last [day] because you just never know, all of us in this room, we never know when it’s your last. So just do your best and… If that’s what takes me, that’s all right,” she shared.
Ashley Cooke has quickly become one of country music’s rising stars, breaking through with hits including “Never Til Now,” a duet with Brett Young, and “Your Place.”
Now, the singer is preparing for the biggest headlining run of her career. The Baby Blues World Tour will span 28 international dates and support her upcoming self-titled sophomore album, which is scheduled for release on Aug. 14.
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