“I Was Going to Die”, Cher Shares The Tragic Truth Behind Her Illness

Cher has wowed crowds with her strong voice, captivating shows, and unmistakable style throughout her amazing decades-spanning career. But behind all the fame and success is a lesser-known story of never giving up in the face of an invisible enemy: illness.

She took a break from her career due to health concerns.

Cher, known affectionately as the “Goddess of Pop,” has left an indelible impact on music and entertainment. Beyond her incredible achievements as a singer, she has also ventured into acting, garnering a collection of esteemed awards that reflect her versatility and talent. Moreover, her influence extends to the fashion world, where she is celebrated for setting trends and defying conventions.

Despite all her achievements over the years, the singer has had to deal with tough times, including health issues that set her Hollywood career back.

Everything began in 1990 during a live performance, Cher looked really tired while on stage. After the show, she got on her tour bus and said, “I’m getting too old for this. I can barely move around the stage.”

However, it wasn’t until she worked on Mermaids that the symptoms started to show. The production had to be paused to give her time to recover her strength. This was when she truly grasped the impact of the illness and how much it could hinder her. When remembering those moments, she claims, “I was so sick I thought I was going to die. I went to doctor after doctor.”

Cher’s battle against the virus

Cher found herself grappling with the Epstein-Barr virus, which mainly spread through saliva and bodily fluids. Its symptoms include tiredness, fever, and a sore throat, among other things.

This virus significantly impacted Cher’s career, and she talked openly about her experience during an interview. When asked if she had turned down acting offers or if they had dried up during that time, she gave an honest response:

“No, I got really sick. For two years, I couldn’t work. It was terrible. I ended the second year with pneumonia. All these movie offers were coming in, but I had to turn them all down. I was really, really upset about it. And when I came back, I had to work my way back up from the beginning doing concerts and stuff like that.”

In a 2008 interview, Cher reportedly shared she came really close to dying from pneumonia. Jumping to 2021, in a tweet, the award-winning star expressed how hard it was to deal with the infection. She tweeted: “I had pneumonia, and I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t stand to take a shower.”

This candid reflection resonated with many, offering insight into the challenges she had been navigating. As the years unfolded, through her posts, fans caught glimpses of her resilience, the ups and downs, and her unwavering spirit as she continued to face the impact of the infection head-on.

We’re all behind Cher, who has truly left a lasting impression on a whole generation with her incredible talent and timeless beauty. And now, at 77 years old, she still has a strong grip on her entire audience, keeping us all enchanted.