Additional Coverage:
- Country Singer Shares an Update on Living With Heart Diagnosis: ‘It Just Kinda Became This Crazy Thing’ (parade.com)
Country Star Ashley Cooke Opens Up About Living with Brugada Syndrome
Parkland, Florida native and rising country music star Ashley Cooke is sharing her personal journey with Brugada syndrome, a rare and potentially life-threatening heart condition that has impacted her family. The singer-songwriter recently sat down with E! News to discuss the challenges and realities of living with the diagnosis.
Cooke revealed that Brugada syndrome is a condition prevalent on her father’s side of the family. “A lot of people on my dad’s side, they’ve unfortunately-out of nowhere, without even knowing they had it-had a cardiac episode and they were gone,” she explained, highlighting the serious nature of the inherited arrhythmia.
According to medical experts, Brugada syndrome is a rare heart rhythm disorder that can lead to an increased risk of irregular heartbeats originating in the lower chambers of the heart.
Cooke, 28, first disclosed her diagnosis to fans in July 2025 via a TikTok video, following a series of electrocardiogram (EKG) procedures and a confirmed diagnosis from her medical team. She admits that the lack of extensive information about the disease is “the toughest part.”
“I’m still learning about it every day. I really don’t know as much as I’d like to know, because there really isn’t a ton that we can know,” she stated.
The “your place” songstress described the unpredictable nature of the syndrome, noting, “From what I’ve been told, it’s the kind of syndrome that nothing really affects you until it does, and it’s fatal.”
The past two years have been a whirlwind of professional highs for Cooke, including a No. 1 hit, award nominations, and opening for major tours. However, this period has also been marked by significant family health struggles.
“I really had the craziest last two years with a lot of health stuff with my whole family and myself, which kinda just added onto it,” she acknowledged. She recounted her father’s fifth battle with cancer, her mother’s heart attack, the passing of both grandmothers, and her sister’s ongoing thyroid issues.
Despite these profound challenges, Cooke maintains a remarkably positive outlook on her Brugada syndrome diagnosis. “It’s just something I’m living with.
It doesn’t affect my day-to-day life, the shows, or the adrenaline. It’s just one of those things that I have,” she shared.
She candidly addressed the potential severity of the condition, stating, “I just know that could be something that takes me someday. That sounds really weird and morbid, but at the same time, I’m learning every day more about it; there’s really just not a whole lot you can do. It’s just how it is, and hopefully I can live a long, happy life.”
Music has also become a significant coping mechanism for Cooke. She expressed her appreciation for the collaborative spirit within the country music community. “I think the best part of country music, honestly, just music in general, is that people are collaborating so much more these days,” she said.
She cited a recent duet performance of Garth Brooks’ “Friends in Low Places” with Jelly Roll at Country Thunder in Wisconsin as an example of this camaraderie. “My music and Jelly Roll’s music are very different, but getting to come up on stage and sing with him and his whole crew was a blast.
We’re great friends. He’s the sweetest in the whole world,” Cooke added.