How Brad Paisley Supported His Wife Kimberly After Severe Voice Loss

Kimberly Williams-Paisley is grateful to have her husband Brad Paisley by her side as she survives a private health battle that left her feeling “invisible.”

Williams-Paisley, 53, opened up about his road to recovery in an interview with People announced on Wednesday, December 18, revealing that she “felt trapped in my own body” while struggling with severe voice loss.

The trouble started in autumn 2022 when Williams-Paisley noticed she couldn’t speak.

“It was scary. I went to self-blame,” the Father of the Bride actress remembers. “‘I’m not breathing properly, I’m not relying on my vocal training.’ I was beating myself up.”

Paisley, 52, supported his wife as she searched for answers. “I would give her advice. ‘Do this vocal warm-up with me,’” she told the outlet. “I stepped into it so much!” Williams-Paisley, however, was more grateful for the way he lightened the mood, adding, “He’s so good at keeping me laughing. That’s a gift.”

During her health battle, Williams-Paisley was at her “most vulnerable” with Paisley and their sons: William, 17, and Jasper, 15. “They were great cheerleaders for me,” he observed. “Seeing them hug me made me feel less alone.”

Williams-Paisley first opened up about her struggles in August after undergoing vocal cord surgery to correct partial paralysis of her left vocal cord.

“I’ve been going through something. Almost two years ago I lost my voice on stage at my Alzheimer’s event in Nashville. It was embarrassing and scary and he never came back. It’s been a challenging two years, but we finally hit the bottom,” he wrote via Instagram. “I have damage to my laryngeal nerve. I finally got surgery this week at @vanderbilthealth with expert surgeons, and it sounds so much better!! I have a badass scar grinning at me across my neck.”

At the time, Williams-Paisley admitted she was hesitant addressing her health publicly, adding, “I’ve been through shame and self-hatred, all kinds of training, breathing techniques, and braces and healing and laughing and crying and explaining. I have met many amazing assistants along the way who have become amazing friends and I feel so GRATEFUL.”

Throughout her roller-coaster journey, Williams-Paisley came to some positive realizations.

“THE OTHER GOOD NEWS: In the past two years, I’ve found power in using my voice in new ways. I’ve healed old emotional wounds,” he continued. “I have learned the strength and beauty of silence. I have become a serious student. I deadlift over a hundred pounds. I take better care of my body. I manage stress. I dissolve shame. I feel more whole, empowered and joyful.”

Before realizing she needed surgery and being diagnosed with muscle tension dysphonia, Williams-Paisley consulted a voice coach and tried acupuncture and massage to soothe her vocal cords. He also explored anti-depressants, Invisalign braces, a vegan diet, hypnosis, a psychic and an astrologer – but nothing helped.

“(There were) days when I didn’t want to do anything. Days when I was extremely tired. Cycling anxiety thoughts in the middle of the night. I wouldn’t say I was clinically depressed, but I was sad,” she said People. “There were days when I mourned and wept. I wonder, ‘Who am I without my voice?'”

Two years after he inexplicably disappeared, Williams-Paisley is not shying away from making her voice heard.

“Now, no matter what my physical voice is, my voice underneath is stronger. I feel more confident. I know myself better,” he shared. “I still can’t shout down the road. And at the end of a long day of talking, I’ll sound a little more raspy than I used to, but I think that’s sexy. And I’ve learned that when you speak more quietly, people lean in, which isn’t bad either.”

She concluded: “I feel empowered now. I don’t want to leave things unsaid. I never want to take my voice for granted – and I want to be brave in using it.”