Who is John Driskell Hopkins, member of the Zac Brown Band?

THAT The ZAC BROWN Band is an award-winning country music group first formed in 2002.

On Friday, May 20, 2022, band member John Driskell Hopkins announced his ALS diagnosis in a video shared on YouTube.

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Who is John Driskell Hopkins?

John Driskell Hopkins, who was born on May 3, 1971 and is known primarily as Hop, hails from Gainesville, Georgia.

In 1993, Hop graduated from Florida State University with a bachelor’s degree in theater.

He began performing as a musician in college and led a band called The Woodpeckers.

Hop moved to Atlanta and formed the band Brighter Shade in 1996.

Around the same time, Hop first met fellow musician Zac Brown.

The two bonded closely, and Hop joined the Zac Brown Band in 2005.

Hop continues to collaborate with other bands throughout his career – Balsam Range and The Bloody Wolves of Venice are two of them.

Hop learned of his diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in December 2021, but kept the news a secret until the following May.

What is ALS?

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rare neurological disorder named after baseball legend Lou Gehrig.

Gehrig died in 1941, just two years after he was diagnosed with the disease.

ALS is an incurable fatal neuromuscular disease that affects voluntary muscles in the body.

Progressive muscle weakness leads to paralysis and eventually death.

The disease attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.

Motor neurons, which control the movement of voluntary muscles, deteriorate, causing stiffness, twitching, and weakness.

Because of its adverse effects on the body, ALS eventually leads to difficulty speaking, swallowing, and breathing.

Eventually, the condition leads to complete paralysis, and patients often die from respiratory failure.

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What did John Driskell Hopkins say about ALS?

In the video shared on the Zac Brown Band YouTube account, John Driskell Hopkins officially announced his ALS diagnosis.

“I have difficult news to share… over the past few years I’ve noticed some balance issues and stiffness in my hands,” Hop began.

“After careful analysis by some of the top neurologists in the country, I was diagnosed with ALS.”

Hop continued, “Because my symptoms have been slow to progress to begin with, we believe they will continue to be slow in progressing in the future.

“God willing, I plan to rock with these amazing people for many more years to come.”

When his diagnosis became known, Hop started an ALS charity fund called Hop On A Cure.

Donations can be made online or by texting “HOP” to 345-345.