Hallmark Star Kimberly Williams-Paisley's Voice Loss Was Worse Than She Let On

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Kimberly Williams-Paisley's voice loss was much more serious than she previously let on. The "According to Jim" star originally took to Instagram in August 2024 to update her followers on a surprising ailment that had pushed her life off track since 2022. "Almost two years ago I lost my voice on stage at my Alzheimer's event in Nashville," she wrote alongside photos of herself in the hospital. "It was embarrassing & scary & it never quite came back." After receiving medical treatment, doctors found the culprit to be "damage to [her] laryngeal nerve," which caused a paralyzed vocal cord. After trying everything she could to heal, she underwent surgery at Vanderbilt Voice Center, restoring her voice.

Williams-Paisley, who hasn't been on fans' screens as much lately, used the remainder of her post to share the difficult journey she'd been on, colored by shame and feelings of being "trapped in [her] body," before revealing that she was doing much better. During an interview with People, she expounded on feeling trapped and other scary circumstances surrounding her voice loss. "There was so much shame involved," she shared with the outlet. "I felt invisible." She also dove into the early days of her condition — including the initial moment when problems surfaced during an Alzheimer's benefit concert. "I thought, 'I need hot tea and vocal rest,'" she explained, noting that it didn't help her condition. "I went to self-blame — 'I'm not breathing properly, I'm not relying on my vocal training,'" she added. "I was beating myself up."

From there, Williams-Paisley struggled to communicate in everyday life, missing out on work and navigating periods of sadness. Since her laryngoplasty, her voice has improved greatly, even if she's not at 100 percent. "I still can't yell down the road. And at the end of a long day of talking, I'll sound a little more raspy ... but I think that's sexy," she shared. "And I've learned that when you talk quieter, people lean in, which is not bad either."

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Kimberly Williams-Paisley is incredibly passionate about acting, which is likely why she's such a beloved icon around the world. Unfortunately, the star, who, in addition to "According to Jim," is also known for her roles in "Father of the Bride," "We Are Marshall," and a string of feel-good Hallmark films, thought that her vocal paralysis would prematurely force her to leave the acting world. "I started coming up with other ways to express myself," she revealed to People before admitting she tried her hand at writing screenplays. Fortunately, leaving her acting career behind was not the fate she had to confront.

Plus, some good actually came from her secret medical issue. Kimberly also spent more time helping out at her and Brad Paisley's charity-based grocery store for the less fortunate. "It felt good to throw myself into service and helping others," continued the star. Her fans think so, too! On Reddit, one fan exalted her and Brad for their widespread charitable endeavors. "She and her husband also do great work in the Nashville area helping people with food insecurity," they wrote. They also mentioned a Christmas version of their charity grocery store, which supplies families with toys during the holidays. 

Per Kimberly's Instagram, 2024's toy shop was a success. "We had so much fun at The Toy Store this weekend!" she captioned a video of the event. "My favorite moments: Seeing a teen find the perfect bike and ride it off down the aisle with pride." Her other fave moments included "hearing from several volunteers that their time at @thestore_nashville has led to long-lasting and deep friendships" and "watching a young boy dance and high-five Santa while his parents shop for fun surprises." Despite her good fortune, Kimberly's life has been full of other tragic details.