Video: Bret Michaels Asked God to "Cut Me a Break" as He Fought to Live
Bret Michaels is back on the air.
Recovering from last month's dramatic brain hemorrhage, the rocker and reality star makes his very first appearance on Wednesday's Oprah Winfrey Show.
He describes to Oprah Winfrey the April 21 onset of the hemorrhage (sudden bleeding around the brain) as a "migraine times 10" which "sounded like a small handgun went off in the back of my head."
After Michaels, 47, was rushed into the emergency room, doctors gave a grave warning to his girlfriend, Kristi. "[They] said, 'It's not good news.' And he said, 'I heard you two talking about having daughters. You might want to say goodbye to them.'"
PHOTOS: Biggest moments in reality TV
As doctors urgently performed tests on him, Michaels "got very sad," he tells Winfrey. "I went into completely just asking God, 'You've got to let me live through this,...I was doing a lot of asking at that point. [I thought]: 'I know I've done a lot of rotten things. I'm asking for a break here, and if you could cut me a break just this time, I promise I'll be better in the future.'"
What caused a blood vessel to burst in Michaels brain? His medical team at at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, Ariz., still doesn't know. About 400,000 people suffer spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage, his neurosurgeon Dr. Joseph Zabramski says -- and Michaels is among the "lucky 20%" who make a full recovery."
PHOTOS: Bret's surprising accident at the 2009 Tony Awards
"I'm just appreciative to be here and have such great family around me, great friends and a great medical team," Michaels adds. "[I] thank the good Lord or guardian angel--whoever is watching over me--that it didn't take me out."
He also explains why he left on his trademark bandana throughout the ordeal. "If I'm going out, I wanna go out rockin!" he says. Michaels is scheduled to resume his concert tour later this month, and may appear on this Sunday's live finale of Celebrity Apprentice.
See the Poison singer's triumphant comeback in the video (above)!
Tell Us What You Think
21I enjoy listening to Brett and also watching the reality show that he had on VH1. I hope that you are doing well and I know that you will overcome this open heart surgery for I also had a whole in my heart at the age of 5 years old and I am now 42. So, you and your family will be in my prayers.
~TO ALL YOU PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO IZ WORRIED ABOUT BRET'S HAIR... COME ON GET A LIFE!!!IT'S HIS HEALTH HEART AND SOUL THAT MATTERS!!! COME ON NOW ; WE NEED TO BE PRAYING FOR HIS HEALTH FAMILY AND CHILDREN!!!WE LOVE YOU BRET AND FAMILY!!!FOREVER IN OUR PRAYERS!!!!
~Hey Hun we are the same age! I just wanted to let you know that all your Hometown people are Praying for you and your family!!!!I am from a small town in Pa. also!!! xoxo ~ MAY GOD BLESS YOU BRET!!!! I have loved your music from the beginning!!!! Waiting to hear some more sweetie!!!!!!!!!! ~Kimbra~
Who cares about the head/hair gear!! This man has come back from the dark dead...why can't we focus on the family unit and two children who have their dad alive and well. Are people so jealous they need to put him down to feel good about themselves?
Bret, I think someone is trying to tell you: chill out on your lifestyle; love your family; quit being without morals. Come on, man, they say you are a great guy, but you can't prove it by your awful TV show, Rock of Love.
Look, I don't give a dern what kind of hair/no hair Bret Michaels has. He is a good-hearted, not-so perfect human being like the rest of us. Don't throw stones from glass houses. ..How vain and superficial it is to even make this an issue. The point is that Bret is a caring, decent man with a family who loves him and fans who adore him...Here's to sending prayers and well-wishes upward for a man who has 2 wonderful daughters and alot of life and love left in him! Cheers to you, Bret! :0) Wishing you Godspeed on your recovery. ..And as always "you rock it Babe-E" ~Dawna
Eileen you are a witch for your comment. The man almost died. How perfect is your hair?
Unfortunately I know the drill very well. I have survived more than one pulmonary embolism at a time on four occasions. I have the same kind of intense will to survive and made a similar deal with God once. Hope he hasn't already reneged on it. Unfortunately all the excessive partying and wild lifestyle will have to be traded in on a more sedate way of life. It's not always fun but it's the only choice.
God be with you Bret. Came to love you after seeing you on the Apprentice. Get well soon and keep on rockin'
if you have a tv larger than 12 in then you will notice that the hair sticking out of that dumb bandana is the EXACT same hair as the stiff, fake long hair that doesn't move, ever. He's completely bald! He has to use the bandana to keep it all in place. I don't get why he wears it though, a wig is sooo not sexy! Bald is better. Anyway, glad he's ok.
oh, katie - you believe everything you read, sweetie? You think he's going to admit that he's bald? If he just had extensions, then why the need for the bandana every sec? He's bald and that is a WIG, not extensions. I don't get it, b/c he's be much more attractive rockin the natural look and there are so many hot rockers who are bald. I like him, aside from the disugsting groupie thing, I think he's very well spoken, seems intelligent and he seems like a nice guy.
Comment below me~YES it has a sound..My Brother said he heard a loud POP!
A hemorrhage.... has a sound? Thats eerie.
I'm glad God gave him a second chance. Hopefully he makes the most of it.
He's NOT better, UNTIL that damned bandana is GONE! Be Who YOU Are and Stop Faking Yourself!
When going through a trauma, whether physical or emotional, it is always nice to have something that makes you feel "solid". Obviously for him it's his bandana. For me, it is a ring my parents gave me after college graduation. It always makes me feel "protected". I am sure there are a lot of us that have held on to things for some strange reason only we can explain. I think it's sweet he kept his bandana on. And for the people making fun of his lack of hair: he has already ADMITTED he wears extensions because he doesn't have much left! Why do you care so much anyway?? Jeez.
STFU May 19, 2010 - 10:52am Guzzler YOU do NOT know he is bald. He has even said uses extensions for length. You cant have extensions if your bald dickhead.
Like superman with out his cape...lol, that's cute! :) I hope he takes it easy! Wish you all the best Bret!
He is obviously insecure about it, leave hime alone. If you were a person in the spot light and went through what he went through you'd be doing the same thing. He's a nice guy, stop being nasty and rude.
he's bald in real life. what a vain azzhole.