Waveland native and “America’s Got Talent” winner Michael Grimm admitted to ICU with mystery illness

BILOXI, Miss. (WLOX) - Blues guitarist and Waveland native Michael Grimm, who rose to national fame after winning Season Five of “America’s Got Talent,” is hospitalized and sedated, battling a mysterious illness. That’s according to his wife, Lucie Zolcerva-Grimm.

In an emotional social media post Tuesday evening, Zolcerva-Grimm asked Grimm’s friends and fans for their support saying her husband is now breathing on his own, but “remains unconscious.” She also said the singer would have to undergo vocal chord repair after having to use a ventilator.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Michael Grimm (@michaelgrimmmusic)

“It’s been an emotional ride,” Zolcerva-Grimm said. ““For those of you who have been out to see Michael in the last couple of months, you may have noticed that he was struggling with his health a lot, lacking energy and not being able to fulfill shows.”

“We ended up taking him to the hospital, to the ER, to the doctors. Still couldn’t figure out what was going on with him,” she said.

Grimm’s condition got worse on Memorial Day when he suddenly had trouble moving.

“All of a sudden, he could barely walk, couldn’t lift his head. He couldn’t respond right away to me when I would ask him things. He would be really fuzzy,” Zolcerova-Grimm said.

That’s when they rushed him to the emergency room.

“The good news is that the doctors were finally able to remove the ventilator today, and he is breathing on his own.”

If you’d like to send a message of support to Grimm during his recovery, cards and letters can be mailed to:

Tinane Entertainment

Attn: Michael Grimm

8414 W. Farm Rd

Suite 180 PMB 225

Las Vegas, NV 89131

Michael Grimm has always attributed his talent and success to his grandmother who took him around to the bars throughout South Mississippi when he was 12 years old to perform country music.

By 16, he signed his first recording contract and headed to Nashville. That same year he was named the Christian Country Music Association’s “Star of Tomorrow” at the age of 16 for his hit song, “John Wayne and Jesus.”

In 2000, Grimm moved to Las Vegas to perform at clubs and casinos throughout the area, looking for his big break which came in June 2010 when he was selected to compete for the “America’s Got Talent” title.

Grimm promised if he won the competition he would build his grandparents a new home to replace the one they lost to Hurricane Katrina. And he made good on both of those promises.

After all his national success, Grimm never forgot where he came from. In 2010, he drew a huge crowd to Hancock County as part of an effort to boost tourism following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the gulf.

A year later he gave a free concert at the Silver Slipper Casino and rode as Grand Marshal in the Krewe of Nereids Parade in Waveland.

And in 2014, when one of his biggest fans made a senior wish to meet Grimm, he made a stop at his alma mater - Hancock High School - to bring her flowers.

During that same visit, he stopped by East Hancock Elementary to play for students and teachers as they celebrated being named a National Blue Ribbon School. And he served as Grand Marshal in the St. Paul’s Carnival Association parade in Pass Christian.

Listen to and learn more about Grimm’s work at MichaelGrimmMusic.com

Click here to subscribe to WLOX News on YouTube: Keep up with South Mississippi news, sports, and local events on our YouTube channel!