Ray J’s mother, Sonja Norwood, has a message for people saying her son’s health problems are fake — his medical issues are “serious” and they are “life-threatening.”
Norwood addressed the “One Wish” singer’s health struggles in a Facebook Live conversation with her followers on Monday night, March 2.
During the 38-minute video, Norwood said she received a troubling phone call from one of Ray J’s friends saying he was hospitalized on Jan. 6.
“When I heard that, my heart started to beat a thousand times,” she recalled.
Norwood and husband William R. Norwood Sr. flew to Las Vegas to be with Ray J, and spent seven days by his side.
The 45-year-old singer, born William Ray Norwood Jr., was initially diagnosed with pneumonia. When he began to have chest pains, doctors ordered a series of tests.
“An angiogram indicated that he had serious heart disease, when blood was pumping at 15 to 20 percent,” Norwood said.
She revealed the Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood star was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, which according to the Mayo clinic “causes the heart to have a harder time pumping blood to the rest of the body, which can lead to symptoms of heart failure.”
“It was so scary and serious. Every other word that was said to us and explained to us was ‘this is life-threatening,'” Norwood said. “They put him on five medications.”
She noted that doctors told the singer and reality star he must slow down and leave his party lifestyle behind.
“It’s been told to him that if he does not take his medication, if he doesn’t take medical advice, if he doesn’t rest and stay stress free, and alter his lifestyle, then he has a life-threatening situation,” Norwood explained.
She said doctors told Ray J he can continue to work as an online streamer and pursue other business opportunities, but he “has to do it with limitations.”
On Feb. 14, he performed as part of the line-up at a Valentine’s Day R&B concert in Baton Rouge, Louisiana — which may not have been the best idea.
At one point, he was recorded with blood under his eyes. Although a photographer who was backstage said the blood came from a bottle and was “fake.”
Some concert attendees took to social media and said Ray J’s health problems were a publicity stunt.
Norwood disputed those claims.
“This is not fake. It’s not a hoax, it’s not him trying to get attention,” she said. “He is trying to adjust to a condition that he has.”
She thanked fans for keeping the singer in their prayers.
“For all of you who have been generally concerned about him and generally prayed for him, I thank you very much for that,” Norwood said.
Sonya and William Norwood are also the parents of superstar singer, Brandy Norwood.
Mrs. Norwood said she’s very close to her children and worries about Ray J sticking with his medical regimen, especially after he complained that the medications are making him gain weight.
“I still worry,” she shared. You can watch Mrs. Norwood’s full video here.
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