Phil Collins' health battles – fateful surgery, 'near-fatal' alcoholism and head injury

Phil Collins joined Genesis in 1971 and became part of the band’s most commercially successful lineup, eventually taking over as frontman and lead vocalist.

The band are considered one of the world’s best selling rock groups, having sold over a predicted 150 million records worldwide.

Phil left the band in 1996 and went on to pursue a fruitful solo career in the 80s, for which he was awarded eight Grammys, six Brits and two Golden Globes.

Phil, who is father to Emily in Paris star Lily Collins, announced that he was going on tour with his fellow Genesis bandmates last year but many fans are concerned about the rock singer’s health.

The 70-year-old has dealt with an extensive list of health problems over the past decade and currently uses a walking stick. He also often relies on a wheelchair after an accident left him with severe nerve damage.

Collins injured his neck in 2009, which was caused during an accident while he was performing on stage and left him needing surgery. Luckily, the surgery was successful but the musician unfortunately lost feeling in his fingers.

The only way that the legendary musician, well known for his drumming skills, could use his drumsticks was to tape them onto his hands.

Nevertheless, Phil pursued but he was eventually left unable to continue his passion.

He published a message on the Genesis website around the time he found out the devastating news: “Somehow, during the last Genesis tour, I dislocated some vertebrae in my upper neck and that affected my hands.

“After a successful operation on my neck, my hands still can’t function normally. Maybe in a year or so it will change, but for now it is impossible for me to play drums or piano.”

In 2016, Collins released his autobiography Not Dead Yet which covered his life and struggles throughout his musical career. He frankly admitted that he had struggled with substance abuse after his divorce.

He turned to alcohol to deal with the separation from his third wife Orianne Cevey but had been sober for three years at the time of publication.

Later that year, Collins spoke at a press conference about his health issues: “Within months you’re drinking vodka from the fridge in the morning and falling over in front of the kids, you know.

“But it was something I lived through and I was lucky to live through it and get through it. I was very close to dying.”

In 2017 he also opened up about his hyperbaric chamber treatment, a type of treatment that speeds up the wound healing process. He was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes which caused an infection in an abscess on his foot.

That same year, Phil got into a nasty accident in his hotel room which led him to cancel two upcoming shows.

He fell over and hit his head on a hair due to a ‘foot drop’ which Collins developed after his previous surgery and requires him to wear orthopedic footwear.

Phil also suffers with acute pancreatitis which inflames his pancreas and can cause permanent damage.

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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk