Singer breaks silence about illness battle
After months of speculation, Stan Walker has broken his silence about his gaunt appearance.
Concerns were raised about the 27-year-old singer’s health in recent weeks when fans noticed how much Walker had changed during public appearances.
Their fears were confirmed by Walker’s manager in January, who said the singer had had a ‘‘number of health scares’’.
In an Instagram post on Wednesday, Walker implied he’d been battling illness for the past nine months.
‘‘The past nine months have been a life changing journey full of ups and downs,’’ he wrote.
He said he’d tried to channel the hard times into his creativity, and seemed to take a swipe at some of the speculation around his health.
‘‘I have stayed quiet for a while, I’ve sat back and let many people talk. I’ve watched assumptions be turned into facts. But soon I will show you guys what’s really been happening,’’ Walker said.
‘‘I can’t wait to share this next chapter with you all. The journey that I’ve been on. Whatever you may have heard, I’m telling you now, you STILL know nothing!’’
In 2016, Walker cancelled his November tour of New Zealand to be with his mother, April Walker, who works as his promoter, after she was diagnosed with cancer.
Walker and his mother both have a rare cancer-causing gene mutation. The CDH1 hereditary mutation Walker and his mother have is found in more than 400 known families worldwide, and an estimated 25 families in New Zealand have it.
It has been responsible for the death of at least 25 of Walker’s family members.