An anonymous insider with direct ties to Brian Burkheiser’s surgery and recovery has shut down the rumour mill, confirming to Blunt that the former I Prevail vocalist is fully recovered from Eagle Syndrome and that his health had nothing to do with his exit from the band.
Fans have been scrambling for answers ever since I Prevail dropped the news: Burkheiser was out. No mess, no explanation. Just a sterile parting post and a clean wipe of the band’s socials unfollowing him, scrubbing photos, rebranding without a trace. The silence only fed speculation.
The loudest theory? Burkheiser’s ongoing health battle finally took him out of the game.
It made sense on paper. He sat out shows in 2024, recovering from multiple surgeries to treat Eagle Syndrome, a rare condition that messes with the neck and throat. Maybe the recovery didn’t stick. Maybe the pain returned. Maybe the band couldn’t wait around.
But according to a verified source from the Osborne Head and Neck Institute in Los Angeles, that theory’s dead wrong.
“Rest assured that is not the case,” the source told Blunt, speaking under anonymity. “Eagle Syndrome is a silent disease and often misunderstood. Once he had those two ligaments removed from both sides of his neck, he no longer had the pain he was suffering with.”
The insider worked closely with Burkheiser before, during, and after surgery. They say he made a full comeback physically, mentally, and vocally thanks to Dr. Ryan Osborne and his team.
“Brian’s health is good,” they continued. “He’s become an advocate for others with Eagle Syndrome. I’d hate for rumours to spread about him quitting or being let go because of the disease.”
Burkheiser’s journey was even documented in the OHNI Case Files video series, where fans saw the real toll of the disease and the resilience it took to return to the stage. The footage doesn’t show a man in decline, it shows a fighter, stepping back into the spotlight at Fiddler’s Green with fire in his throat.
Last year, Burkheiser got personal about his diagnosis in a heartfelt Instagram post, revealing he’d been dealing with symptoms since 2018.
“If I’m being honest, this disease has broken me over the last few years,” he wrote. “I pushed myself through multiple tour cycles trying my best to keep a positive spirit, but as the days passed by, the negativity and pain grew.”
He thanked Dr. Osborne and the OHNI team “for empowering me and showing me that I can get back the life I’ve always wanted.”
Eagle Syndrome is caused by either a calcified ligament or an elongated bone near the ear, triggering pain, reduced mobility, and a laundry list of hard-to-pin-down symptoms. It’s rare, but as Burkheiser’s story shows, it’s brutal.
So, was the departure about anything other than health? We don’t know. Maybe we’ll get a statement someday. Maybe we won’t. For now, the real reason sits behind closed doors known only to Brian and the band.
But here’s what we do know:
Brian Burkheiser didn’t leave I Prevail because of Eagle Syndrome. He survived it. He won.
And that’s one f**king rumour we can bury for good.
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