Joni Mitchell Shares Rare Comment on Her Health Struggles, Says 2015 Aneurysm &x27;Changed My Life, Oddly, for the Better&x27; Rachel DeSantisMon, March 30, 2026 at 4:26 PM UTC 0 Joni Mitchell at the 2026 Juno Awards in Hamilton, Ontario on March 29.Credit: Cindy Ord/Getty Joni Mitchell received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 Juno Awards and reflected on overcoming health struggles The singer shared how her 2015 aneurysm led to positive life changes, including quitting smoking and finding supportive caregivers Mitchell performed "Big Yellow Taxi" with Sarah McLachlan and Allison Russ...
Joni Mitchell Shares Rare Comment on Her Health Struggles, Says 2015 Aneurysm 'Changed My Life, Oddly, for the Better'
Rachel DeSantisMon, March 30, 2026 at 4:26 PM UTC
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Joni Mitchell at the 2026 Juno Awards in Hamilton, Ontario on March 29.Credit: Cindy Ord/Getty -
Joni Mitchell received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 Juno Awards and reflected on overcoming health struggles
The singer shared how her 2015 aneurysm led to positive life changes, including quitting smoking and finding supportive caregivers
Mitchell performed "Big Yellow Taxi" with Sarah McLachlan and Allison Russell
There were no blue feelings for Joni Mitchell at the 2026 Juno Awards, where she received a Lifetime Achievement Award and opened up about finding a silver lining amid her health struggles.
Mitchell, 82, was in great spirits as she accepted her win from Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Sunday, March 29. The Blue singer — who suffered an aneurysm in 2015 that forced her to re-learn how to walk, talk and play guitar — waved to the crowd with a giggle as they gave her a standing ovation.
"I want to thank the Junos for this great honor. I really appreciate it. I'm so glad to be back in Canada," said the star, who grew up in Saskatoon. "Some years ago — 10 or 12 years ago, I forget how long ago — I had an aneurysm, which changed my life, oddly, for the better."
Mitchell told the crowd that she went into a coma, which helped her quit smoking, and also explained how her medical staff has enriched her life.
"My home's filled up with the most wonderful nurses. I was on the road with men for years and years and years, now I live with a house full of women, and I have a fantastic therapist [who] goes everywhere with me," she said. "So my life has changed for the better out of a catastrophe, like a phoenix who grows a better life."
Mitchell went on to praise Carney, whom she described as "wonderful" and "a blessing."
"We are so fortunate to have him," she said. "I'm living in the States and you know what's happening there."
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The "California" singer also showed off her dress, which had the word "happy" written multiple times in Chinese, as she was "happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy" to be at the Juno Awards in Carney's company.
Joni Mitchell with Mae Martin (left) and Sarah McLachlan (right) at the 2026 Juno Awards in Hamilton, Ontario.Credit: Cindy Ord/Getty
Elsewhere during the show, Mitchell appeared on stage to sing her 1970 hit "Big Yellow Taxi" alongside Sarah McLachlan and Allison Russell. McLachlan began the medley of Mitchell's hits with "A Case of You," and was joined by Russell for "Both Sides Now" before the woman of the hour made her appearance.
Mitchell performed her first full set in over 20 years at the Newport Folk Festival in 2022, sharing the stage with Brandi Carlile, Marcus Mumford and more.
After the performance, she spoke to CBS News about having to re-learn a number of skills after her aneurysm.
"I'm learning," she said. "I'm looking at videos that are on the net to see where I put my fingers, you know. It's amazing what an aneurysm knocks out – how to get out of chair! You don't know how to get out of a bed. You have to learn all these things by rote again. I was into water ballet as a kid, and I forgot how to do the breaststroke. Every time I tried it, I just about drowned, you know? So, a lot of going back to infancy almost. You have to relearn everything."
In 2020, she joked to the Guardian that she was a "fighter" with "Irish blood," which helped her stay strong.
"I knew, 'Here I go again, another battle,'" she said.
on People
Source: "AOL Entertainment"
Source: Entertainment
Published: March 30, 2026 at 09:36PM on Source: MANUEL MAG
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