Mariachi musician Vicente Fernández is in serious but stable condition in the ICU after a fall, according to his family.
On Tuesday, the family gave an update on his health, stating that the 81-year-old is in “serious but stable” condition and has undergone surgery after suffering trauma to his cervical spine.
His family statement added, “At this moment, post-operation, he’s on ventilatory assistance and receiving critical patient care from ICU units. We thank you all for your worries. We’ll keep you inform as his health evolves.”
His family members have asked the media to stay away from the hospital to prevent the spread of COVID-19. They said no member of the family will provide any interviews.
After the health update, Alejandro, Fernández’s son, shared a photo with his father and captioned, “I love you dad.”
In 2019, the Mexican singer suffered another health scare when he had a lump in his liver. At the time, he received backlash after refusing a liver transplant because he was concerned that the donor could have been an “addict” or a “homosexual” person.
He said at the time, “They wanted to give me some other f—er’s liver, and I told them ‘I’m not going to sleep with my wife with another man’s liver. I don’t even know if he was homosexual or a drug addict.”
Fernández is one of the most-celebrated Mexican musicians of all time. He has won four Grammys and eight Latin Grammys.
Nicknamed “El Charro de Huentitán,” Fernández started his career as a busker. He recorded more than 50 albums, contributing to more than 30 films.
His music repertoire consists of rancheras and other Mexican classics. In 2016, he retired from performing live, but he continues to record and publish music.
Earlier this year, Fernández sparked controversy after placing his hand on a fan’s breast while taking a picture with her family. However, a few days later, he issued an apology to the woman’s family.
At the time, he said in a statement, “I admit that I was wrong, I don’t know if I was joking, maybe it was a joke. I don’t know. I do not remember, there were many people (with whom I took photos), sincerely I offer an apology.” The story appeared on PEOPLE.
