The singer, known by her real name Lerato Molapo, was subsequently diagnosed with aphasia, a language disorder resulting from damage to a specific region of the brain responsible for language expression and comprehension.
During a recent appearance on Radio 702’s show, “The Upside of Failure,” hosted by the experienced broadcaster Relebogile Mabotja, Lira, a 44-year-old guest, candidly discussed her journey of growth and development over the course of 14 months.
In this heartfelt conversation with her close friend and neighbor, she opened up about the significant strides she has made in various aspects of her life.
“I get surprised with how much progress I’m making, and today is a good day,” shared the songbird.
Lira expressed to Mabotja that she had reached a stage in her life where she felt at ease and ready to open up about her personal journey. She proceeded to recount the events of the day when she experienced a stroke.
“The sensation lasted about 15 minutes. It wasn’t painful. It was an uncomfortable feeling in my head. I walked into a restaurant, and I wanted to ask them where my hotel was.”
Lira had intended to ask for help but her voice didn’t come out.
After some time had passed, the renowned “Feel Good” vocalist returned to her hotel, intending to reach out to her partner. However, to her dismay, she found herself unable to decipher the words on her phone screen. Fearing something was amiss, her manager, Lisa, promptly arranged for an ambulance to transport her to the hospital the following day.
The medical examination at the hospital delivered the distressing news – she had suffered a stroke.
“Wow. I was shocked. I’m too young to have a stroke. Not me. Not me. Not me. I cried. I cried because how was I going to tell my parents? I was alone.”
When the first responders reached her hotel room, Lira conveyed that she seemed fine physically, but she couldn’t speak or read. However, her tears alerted them to the fact that something was wrong.
The singer has since regained her speech and is in recovery, but is speech-impaired and struggles to say certain words.Following the stroke, the songstress has been left wanting to enjoy life and not take it for granted.
“It’s made me value life a bit more. When you have [a] stroke, it calms you from the stress of life. When I’m stressed, I can’t speak, so it is important for me to keep calm and peaceful.”
