Randy Travis was given just a one-percent chance of surviving a devastating health crisis, his wife, Mary Travis, has revealed as she reflected on the country star’s remarkable recovery.
The singer, now 67, suffered a life-threatening stroke in 2013 while receiving treatment for congestive heart failure. The stroke severely affected his speech and mobility and left him unable to sing.
“They had already told us he had one percent chance of survival, and that was the first couple of days in the hospital,” Mary said in an interview published by Fox News on Friday.
Travis had been hospitalized with viral cardiomyopathy, an infection that causes inflammation and can weaken the heart muscle, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
“So here we are, five and a half months later, he’s still here. He’s still improving,” Mary said, recalling the early stages of his 2013 ordeal.
She also remembered the two brain surgeries Travis underwent. “We went through the second brain surgery,” she said. “He came through that with flying colors. The first one is when they said he’s not, you know, he doesn’t have any chance.”
Randy Travis was given a one-percent chance of survival during a devastating health crisis, his wife, Mary Travis, revealed as she recalled his remarkable comeback
The country singer, 67, suffered a near-fatal stroke in 2013 while being treated for congestive heart failure; pictured in August 2025
“But, you know, once you get over those and you start seeing the glimmers of hope and the hand of God on the whole thing,” she added.
Mary said Travis’s determination throughout the ordeal has continued to inspire her.
“Just being with this guy has been such an inspiration to me because, going through even the tough times in the hospital, the nurses would come in and cut him or stick him or poke him or do whatever, and they’d walk out the door,” she recalled.
“And if he wasn’t in his coma and he was aware, he’d say, ‘Thank you.’ That was Randy Travis.”
“And they’d turn around and look like, you got to be kidding me, you know. But that was Randy Travis.”
Following years of rehabilitation, Travis rebuilt his strength and eventually returned to music. He has now released Same Old Way, his first album of original material in more than 18 years.
The record includes 12 previously unreleased songs recorded between 1986 and 2013 and later restored by longtime producer Kyle Lehning.
Speaking to People about the project, Mary said Travis and Lehning shared a deep respect for one another and had similar instincts about music, production and the sound they wanted each song to have.
Doctors initially gave Randy Travis a one-percent chance of survival, his wife recalled, before he recovered after undergoing two brain surgeries
Travis was hospitalized with viral cardiomyopathy, an infection that can inflame and weaken the heart muscle; pictured in March 2016
Mary said Travis spent time in a coma and praised his resilience throughout his recovery from the 2013 health crisis; pictured in March 2025
After years of rehabilitation, Travis returned to music and released Same Old Way, his first album of original material in more than 18 years; pictured in August 2023
“I love that we’re able to do this,” Mary said, describing the new album as an unexpected blessing; pictured in May 2024
Mary said the pair recently reflected on the many hours they spent working together in the studio.
“We were having that conversation earlier today at the house and how many hours, thousands of hours that they spent in studio time and never had a cross word, never really had a disagreement,” she said.
“If it was something Randy didn’t like, Kyle was OK with it. If Kyle didn’t like it, Randy was OK with it.”
She also explained how the album’s title came together.
“What’s old is new again, right? It is opening a new chapter in a way, but it did feel familiar. And I don’t know if that makes any sense at all.”
“Maybe just hearing his vocal and his voice again, the real Randy, that was warm and cozy. That was familiar,” she continued.
“But then to hear the songs, some of them I’d never even heard, it felt new again.”
“I love that we’re able to do this,” Mary said.
“We never would’ve dreamed it 13-and-a-half years ago, that we would be sitting here talking to you about a new album that’s getting ready to release and what a blessing that is. It’s really a gift to us too.”