R&B singer, Will Downing, is  known for many things — including his R&B/jazz infused songs, his bangin’ mid-’90s duet with Rachelle Ferrell,”Nothing Has Ever Felt Like This;” his ’91 hit, “I Try” and more. Downing is also known as the self-proclaimed “Prince of sophisticated soul,” with a unique voice. But one thing he isn’t widely known for is being the man who battled a disease that was so debilitating a few years ago, it caused him to drop from 215 pounds to 115 pounds in a few short months. Today Downing is grateful to still be alive, but it wasn’t that way when many around him were praying that he would still be around to see his three children grow and prosper in life.

WILL DOWNING SPEAKS ON HIS PAST LIFE THREATENING ILLNESS

In 2007 Will Downing was diagnosed with polymyositis, a disease that causes chronic inflammation of many muscles throughout the body, resulting in extreme weakness, loss of mobility, and chronic pain. It could also result in heart failure and lung disease. Downing was ultimately confined to a wheel chair, but prior to that, the doctors warned him that he would soon not only lose his mobility and strength, but his voice also. He said within 2 weeks after they told him that, his voice was gone, but surprisingly he says that didn’t bother him:

Via Essence: “I wasn’t even afraid of never being able to sing again because I’ve done so much in my life with my instrument and God has blessed me to touch more people than I could have ever imagined and has allowed me to travel the world. However, the thought of becoming immobile messed with my head. I’m not going to say I was the picture of health and athleticism but I enjoy basketball, bowling, riding bikes, driving and running around with my kids,” says Downing. “I went into the hospital in 2007 and I was in there for about seven months…I went through a period of depression. I cursed God like you would not believe. It’s a very strange situation because you don’t have a grasp on reality. I was extremely weak and couldn’t move, yet in my mind I kept telling myself I was going to be fine in a couple of weeks. Yet, I still had to call two nurses to help pick me up and take me to the bathroom but again in my head I was fine.”

FAMILY & FRIENDS THOUGHT HE WAS DYING

Via Essence: Will Downing recalls, “I can remember my folks visiting me and telling me you have to eat. And I’m saying, ‘I’m eating fine and besides this food is nasty.’ Finally, the doctors and nurses tell me they want to put a feeding tube in me because I was wasting away. I’m thinking, What for? I’ve been eating fine. For a few months, I never once looked in the mirror. Some of my friends stopped by and would give me shave and a haircut, but I never once looked in the mirror. Then folks start flying in from all over the country to visit me and it dawned on me, Oh y’all think I’m going to die!” I decided right then and there that I was going to start eating especially after I finally saw myself in one of the hospital mirrors and had to ask, Who is that? I was skin and bones. I was 215 and had dropped down to 115 in a few months. I would literally take two teaspoons of soup, eat a piece of bread, drink water and be full.”

WHERE HE IS TODAY

Today at the age of 57, Will Downing is healthy again, and back on stage giving people some REAL music! He’s also recently released his new album, “The Sound Garden.”

 

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Additionally, Will says he’s forever grateful to have a wife like he has because his wife/singer of over twenty years, Audrey Wheeler-Downing, was there for him every step of the way when he needed 24 hour care: “I know without a doubt that I am with the right woman,” says Downing.