General Hospital alum Rick Springfield reveals hidden brain injury from 2000 concert mishap

Rick Springfield is an Australian-American musician and actor, known for his role as Dr. Noah Drake on the ABC soap opera General Hospital. He took on the role in 1981 while simultaneously pursuing a music career. Recently, he shared a shocking health diagnosis.

In an exclusive interview with People, published on March 10, 2025, Springfield talked about having a full body scan that revealed brain damage after a fall he took during a 2000 concert in Las Vegas. Reflecting on his hidden brain injury, he stated:

"I fell 25 feet, hit my head and then wood came down and hit my head, and then my head hit the stage again. I thought I had just broken my wrist, but on the scan I found out I have some brain damage from the fall, so I'm working on trying to repair that."

During the interview, Springfield pointed out that many people do not want to know what is going on with their health. He added that his father was one of those people, and he ended up dying because of it. He commented:

"My dad died from not wanting to know. He thought he had stomach cancer for years and never got it checked out. When he finally collapsed one day at home, they found out it was an ulcer that burst, and he died from the loss of blood. It could have been fixed if he had gotten it checked out."

Springfield mentioned that it was a wake-up call for him. He talked about keeping himself feeling young by eating mostly a pescatarian diet and exercising daily. He also mentioned that he had cut back on alcohol two years ago, which helped him with his depression. However, he admitted that he occasionally takes a couple of sips of vodka while on stage.

Furthermore, the General Hospital star revealed that he recently tried ketamine therapy for his depression, hoping it would open things up in his brain. While clarifying that he does not wish to promote drug use, he opened up that he is more interested in microdosing, sharing his experience with acid, which made him happier.

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General Hospital: A glance at Dr. Noah Drake's character as the actor opens up about his health crisis

According to the storyline of General Hospital, Dr. Noah Drake, portrayed by Rick Springfield, was introduced as a charismatic and competent surgeon who quickly became a fan favorite. His character played a significant role in Port Charles, particularly due to his involvement in difficult medical cases and his romantic entanglement with nurse Bobbie Spencer.

Introduced to the General Hospital storyline in 1981, Dr. Noah Drake left Port Charles in 1983, where his departure was prompted by his acceptance of a surgical position at a hospital in Atlanta. Springfield returned to the soap opera as Noah for important visits to Port Charles in both 2012 and 2013.

In March 2012, Noah returned to town after hearing the news of Robin's death. During his visit, he spent some quality time with his granddaughter, Emma, and consoled Patrick regarding Robin's death. Despite leaving the show, he briefly reappeared on General Hospital.

In April 2013, Noah returned once again to Port Charles to pay tribute to Robin at the Nurses' Ball. At the ball, Noah reunited with Bobbie, and they shared a warm hug. After engaging in a hearty conversation with Patrick about life, Noah left town to start working at a hospital in Seattle. As Bobbie was also on her way to Seattle, both of them decided to leave Port Charles together.

Among other events, Springfield's 2013 visit marked one of the show's major highlights. Noah appeared for a special performance at the Nurses' Ball, where Rick Springfield performed Jessie's Girl, one of the most popular songs ever sung by the musician.

As Springfield continues his journey in both acting and music, fans remain eager to follow his career and stay updated on his health condition.

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New episodes of General Hospital air on ABC and are available for streaming on Hulu.