Judas Priest guitarist Richie Faulkner has revealed that he has undergone a second open heart surgery.

“One year ago today. Less than an hour before my life changed forever,” Faulkner revealed on social media. “It’s crazy how one minute you’re listening to the crowd singing war pigs- everything normal, everything seemingly fine- the next it turns out that it was almost the last time I ever heard it.”

The musician also posted a video of the band’s 2021 performance at the Louder Than Life Festival in Louisville, Kentucky, during which his aorta ruptured.

Faulkner then explained that his first emergency heart surgery took place that same month,and he experienced few health complications in the year since.

“Just before we toured Europe, scans showed a hole in one of the connections between the synthetic graft and my own aorta that was causing a leak. The blood from the leak was forming an 8cm sack that was surrounding my heart. The doctors were okay for me to tour Europe, but as soon as I got back I had to go under again for another open-heart surgery. So 3 days after we played Belgium, they went in, removed the sack and fixed the leak,” he added.

He underwent the second open heart surgery six weeks ago and said that he now feels well and strong.

“Looking forward to seeing you all again on the next leg of the US #50heavymetalyears tour starting in a few weeks,” he added.

(Photo: Stefan Bollmann)

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