Why is cruise host Tom Joyner in a wheelchair? When his 24th cruise shipped off, fans can't help but notice he is now in a wheelchair. What happened to him?
Tom Joyner is in a Wheelchair During His 24th Cruise Launch
Former American radio personality Thomas Joyner had recently launched his 24th Cruise for Fantastic Voyage, which sailed from Miami, Florida on April 27 this year.
After retiring from his The Tom Joyner Morning Show in 2019, Joyner has dedicated his career to marketing cruises for Black people, because, as he previously said, "Black people didn't do cruise ships for good reason. But the main reason then was because they weren't invited."
This year's musical lineup includes the legendary Chaka Khan, New Edition's Bobby Brown, and Ralph Tresvant, duo Ja Rule and Ashanti, Method Man & Redman, and finally, Kirk Franklin.
It is worth mentioning that the host's Fantastic Voyage cruise also serves as a fundraiser that supports Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
However, while fans were on the subject of celebrating another year of Tom Joyner's successful cruising, fans couldn't help but point out that he's hosting in a wheelchair. Why is that? What happened to him?
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What Happened to the Cruise Host's Health?
Joyner suffered from a stroke in 2020. He was initially convinced that he merely lost his balance from exhaustion after doing 140 punches during his boxing training.
However, it wasn't until his physical therapist warned him that he was already having a stroke and called 911 to get him hospitalized.
Keep in mind that while he wasn't slurring in his speech, which is one of the common symptoms of having a stroke, he described "losing mobility" in his arms and legs.
Joyner explained in a two-part interview that he had a "brain bleed on the right side" and "lost mobility and range of motion" in his arms and legs. The hospitalization resulted in Joyner being bound to a wheelchair.
He added that high blood pressure took a major toll on his stroke, considering that he was initially reluctant to take his medication based on his parents' experience while they struggled with hypertension.
"I do physical therapy twice a day, but recovery is slow, it's very slow," Joyner shared a glimpse of his recovery, "The reward does not match the workload because I work hard every day."
But because of this mind-opening experience, Joyner used his recovery journey to come out of retirement to support the national Release the Pressure (RTP) campaign, where he wants to improve the Black community's cardiovascular health.
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