Country singer with degenerative disease welcomes second grandchild
Country music star Alan Jackson, known for his song “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” together with the late singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffet, is celebrating an important milestone in his life despite suffering from the rare nerve disorder Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT): He is now a grandfather of two children.
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, CMT causes “damage to the peripheral nerves, which are the nerves that carry information and signals from the brain and spinal cord to and from the rest of the body, as well as sensory information such as touch back to the spinal cord and brain.” It can also “have direct effects on the nerves that control muscles.”
Jackson has three daughters with his wife Denise, whom he has been married to for over 40 years: Mattie, Alexandra and Dani. His other daughter Alexandra had her first child and Jackson’s first grandchild, Jackson Alvie Bradshaw, in December 2022.
His daughter Mattie took to social media this week to share her exciting news. She posted a sweet photo of her newborn son on Instagram and wrote alongside it: “One week ago my life changed forever. Wesley Alan Smith joined our little family on June 20th, the absolute best birthday present I could have ever imagined. There is no greater honor in life than being chosen by God to be your mommy. And no sweeter joy than seeing your daddy already adore and protect you.
“Even Ryman has reluctantly bonded with her new little brother. You have my whole heart and prayers little boy. If you’re anything like your two namesakes (Connor’s grandfather and @officialalanjackson) you’ve got quite a life ahead of you.”
Before the birth of Wesley Alan Smith, Jackson shared a photo of his family on Instagram announcing Mattie’s pregnancy.
He wrote: “Our growing family is full of Bessings! Denise and I are so excited for the birth of our second grandson in June!
“We are so happy for proud parents @mattiejackson and Connor Smith and can’t wait to meet the next addition to our family. – AJ.”
We are excited to see Jackson’s family continue to grow, especially as he nears retirement.
At the beginning of the year, he released the following statement on his website about his farewell tour: “Fans know that at my shows they will hear the songs that made me who I am – the songs they love.
“I’ve been touring for over 30 years – my daughters are all grown, we have a grandchild and one on the way… and I’m enjoying spending more time at home. But my fans always come to have fun and I’m going to give them the best show I can at this Last Call.”
Jackson will begin his final tour in Boston on August 2, during which he will perform in various states including Florida, Montana and Utah until May 17 next year.
In the statement shared on his website, he added: “Most of my fans know that I suffer from a degenerative disease that affects my legs and arms and my mobility. This disease is something I inherited from my father and it is getting worse.
“I’m feeling more uncomfortable on stage and it’s just hard for me. I just want to think about maybe quitting before I can’t do the job the way I want to anymore.”
Denise and I are celebrating our 43rd wedding anniversary with our new grandson Jackson Alvie Bradshaw.
Ali and Sam welcomed Jack into the world on December 13, 2022.
I’m so happy this little guy made us grandparents! – AJ pic.twitter.com/gc9PghhUtg
— Alan Jackson (@OfficialJackson) 15 December 2022
Alan Jackson’s diagnosis of a nerve disease
According to an interview with the Today Show, Alan Jackson was diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease in 2011. About a decade later, he publicly announced his diagnosis.
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“I’ve been hesitant to talk about it publicly and with my fans, but it’s been a while and it’s starting to affect my performance on stage a little bit, making me feel uncomfortable,” the singer said when he announced his diagnosis on the “TODAY” show in September 2021.
“I just wanted the fans and the audience to know what’s going on when they’ve come to see me over the last few years or when they come to see me in the future when I’m still playing. I don’t want them to think I’m drunk on stage because I have problems with mobility and balance. I have this neuropathy, a neurological disease that I inherited from my father.”
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease is an “inherited nerve defect that causes abnormalities in the nerves that supply your feet, legs, hands and arms,” explains Johns Hopkins Medicine.
In Jackson’s case, the disease affected his balance and mobility, which affected his ability to perform on stage as he had in the past.
“I know I stumble around on stage. Now I’m having a little bit of trouble keeping my balance, even in front of the microphone, and that’s why I just feel very uncomfortable,” he said.
In patients diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, symptoms can be treated with medications and physical and occupational therapy to strengthen muscles.
Understanding Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT)
According to the CMT Research Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded by patients in 2018 that focuses on treatments and cures by supporting biomedical research, CMT is a “progressive, degenerative disease of the peripheral nerves that branch from the brain and spinal cord to other parts of the body, including the arms, hands, legs, and feet” discovered in 1886 by physicians Jean-Marie Charcot, Pierre Marie, and Howard Henry Tooth.
“Normally, the brain and nerves communicate with each other constantly. But in CMT, the motor nerves (the nerves that control our muscles) and the sensory nerves (the nerves that transmit sensory information such as pain and temperature to the brain) don’t work properly. They have trouble sending signals to and from the brain. This leads to numbness, sensory loss, muscle weakness/atrophy, and nerve degeneration. Over time, the muscles weaken and deteriorate,” the foundation explains on its website.
“Symptoms can appear at birth or in adulthood and gradually worsen over time. There are currently no treatments or cures for CMT.”
Although there is no known treatment or cure for CMT, symptoms may be relieved by:
- Painkiller
- Braces or splints to support the feet and ankles
- Custom-made shoes or shoe insoles
- Physiotherapy maintains muscle strength and flexibility
- Occupational therapy
- Surgery to correct joint deformities
- Hearing aids to cope with hearing loss
George Simpson of the CMT Research Foundation shared the following statement with SurvivorNet: “There are more people with CMT than with multiple sclerosis or ALS, including 150,000 Americans and nearly 3 million people around the world. CMT is one of the most common inherited neurological diseases.
“It is thought that CMT may be more common than statistics suggest due to misdiagnosis or delayed onset of symptoms. Common symptoms – including stumbling, clumsiness, balance problems and tactile problems – are often due to other diseases, which can lead to misdiagnosis.”
Furthermore, the disease, which is described as progressive and degenerative, “is most often inherited genetically from one parent, but can also be the result of a spontaneous mutation (if neither parent has CMT).”
The importance of milestones
For cancer survivors and their families, as well as anyone living with a disease, reaching major life milestones is a big deal.
Milestones can be the birth of a child or grandchild, a wedding, a dream vacation, another birthday, or even Father’s Day. Most importantly, these milestones take on greater meaning during or after cancer, as many cancer patients develop a greater sense of gratitude for all they have been through.
WATCH: A cancer survivor’s incredible story that describes the value of milestones.
In addition to commemorating important events, even ordinary everyday activities can be very special, such as planning a nice dinner or working for a cancer foundation.
You can also honor your cancer milestone independently of others in the form of simple reflection or a walk in nature. Surviving can enrich the time you spend doing it all overall.
Supporting a family member with health problems
People like Alan Jackson can experience a wide range of emotions when faced with a diagnosis of a rare disease or cancer. Many may feel depressed, anxious, worried, overwhelmed and even grief. Support your loved one as best you can by listening lovingly and offering support.
Dealing with grief after a cancer diagnosis
Dr. Scott Irwin, director of care services at Cedars-Sinai, explained in a previous interview the grief that can accompany a cancer diagnosis. “Grief comes in waves,” he says. “Often it gets better over time, but some days it can look like depression. And other days people look completely normal and can function.”
“They are grieving the change in their lives, the future they had imagined is now different,” says Dr. Irwin about a person’s feelings after a cancer diagnosis.
“In cancer treatment, we sometimes actually force physical changes that go beyond normal aging and can be even more difficult for people to cope with, who then no longer feel like themselves.”
The love and support of family makes a big difference during cancer treatment
Contributors: SurvivorNet staff
Learn more about SurvivorNet’s rigorous medical review process.
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