Veteran entertainer Frankie Paul wants his fans to know that he is alive and well. This, after photos of him began circulating on the Internet earlier this week suggesting that the singer was on his death bed.
A clearly upset Frankie Paul told The Sunday Gleaner that the photos going around on social media were taken at his home without his knowledge and wants people to know that the death rumors are just that. “I was doing some dub plates at my house and someone was there who took some pictures and sent it to his friend, and the friend put out the pictures with some words that are not true,” he explained. “The persons said I was ill and near to dying. I’m recovering from my surgeries, so aside from the things people already know about my leg and my diabetes, I’m good. I am currently in Jamaica and I’m fine.”
The veteran singer revealed that since the pictures were released, his phone has not stopped ringing as persons from all over the world seek to confirm news that he is terminally ill.
MALICIOUS INTENTIONS
“What that person did was wrong, and it has caused a lot of people to be calling me asking if I’m okay,” he said, explaining that the person who released the photos may have had malicious intentions.
“I was in my home, so that person had no right to take those pictures, and the person that put them on Facebook had other intentions based on the things they were saying about me. I don’t know why they would want to spread rumors like that about me, but in life you will never understand the actions of some people.”
The singer had surgery in January of this year which saw him removing a portion of one of his legs. Then in July, the singer returned to the hospital to remove a part of his other leg in an effort to stop an infection. The singer was on his way to Jamaica to perform on the show, Heineken Startime when he fell ill and had to be taken to a hospital in Brussels to undergo surgery. Though he has been on the mend since then, the entertainer is seeking the public’s assistance in helping to restore some level of normalcy to his life by aiding with the purchase of a prosthetic leg. Paul says he still has a lot to give as an entertainer and would appreciate any assistance given to him to get the leg so he can simply be mobile again.
VOICE STRONG AND FRESH
“I love performing and my voice is still strong and fresh. I just want my leg so I can move around again,” he said. According to Frankie Paul, the leg is very expensive and will cost him in excess of US$300,000.
“I already have US$100,000 saved up, but I need help with the rest, so I’m asking the public to assist in any way they can.”
Paul first reached out to the public for assistance earlier this week via a video posted on Facebook. The video was met with mixed reactions as some users enquired about the money the singer made while he was in his prime as an entertainer. Paul, understanding these concerns, explained that it is the money saved up from royalties that has allowed him to come up with the $US100,000.
“I am collecting royalties, and that has allowed me the opportunity to get by every day. With all my surgeries, doctor’s visits, and so on, things are really expensive,” he said, explaining that his other sources of funding have been tied up in charity work he has been doing over the years.
“This leg is really urgent, and that’s why I am seeking the help of the public. I just want to get it and get moving again so I can do what I love without restrictions.”
For those who cannot assist financially, the entertainer wants them to continue praying for him.
“I just want my fans to continue praying for me. Keep the spirit going for me and do not let go,” he said. “I will let you know when I’m fit enough or not well. It won’t come from other people. You will hear it from the horse’s mouth.”
Frankie Paul broke on to the entertainment scene in the early 1980’s. The singer is known for a slew of popular songs, including Sarah, Worries in the Dance, and I Know The Score.
Born visually impaired, the singer became known as the Jamaican Stevie Wonder as his smooth vocals captured the hearts of many.
You must log in to post a comment.