Donald Glover, the 42-year-old musician and actor, revealed recently that he had a stroke while on tour in 2024. Though strokes are rare in younger adults, Glover is among a growing number who are suffering from them. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a 2024 report that the prevalence of strokes had increased by almost 15% among people aged 18 to 44 over the past decade or so.
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“We are definitely seeing more young people coming in with strokes,” says Dr. Joshua Willey, a stroke neurologist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center (who didn’t treat Glover). “But they often come delayed to the hospital because the last thing on their mind is that they’re having a stroke.”
Here’s what to know about Glover’s health incident and the rising risk of stroke in younger people.
What happened to Donald Glover?
Glover, whose stage name is Childish Gambino, shared details about the stroke he suffered during a Nov. 22 performance at the Los Angeles music festival Camp Flog Gnaw. The five-time Grammy winner told the crowd that he had experienced a “really bad pain in my head” while on tour last year before but had performed a show in New Orleans anyway. Glover said he “couldn’t really see well,” so when he got to the next stop on the tour, he went to get evaluated at a hospital. “The doctor was like, ‘You had a stroke,’” said Glover, according to videos posted to social media.
“The first thing I thought was like, ‘Oh, here I am still copying Jamie Foxx,’” Glover joked, referring to the stroke that Foxx, a fellow actor and musician, suffered in 2023. Foxx was 55 at the time.
He also told fans that doctors had found a “hole” in his heart and that he had undergone two surgeries. He didn’t provide further medical details.
Willey, the NewYork-Presbyterian neurologist, says that one known cause of stroke in younger people is a heart defect known as patent foramen ovale (PFO), which is a small hole between the two upper chambers of the heart. This hole usually closes soon after birth but in about 1 in 4 people, it can remain open. PFOs don’t usually cause complications but can contribute to strokes and low blood oxygen in some people. Some people may require surgery to seal the hole.
Glover hasn’t specified if he had a PFO. His agent hasn’t responded to an immediate request for comment.
What is a stroke?
A stroke is a medical emergency that occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked (known as an ischemic stroke) or bursts (known as a hemorrhagic stroke). When the flow of blood to the brain is disrupted, brain cells start to die within minutes.
A transient ischemic attack (TIA), or “mini stroke,” is a temporary blockage of blood flow to the brain. TIAs can be a warning sign of a future stroke.
What causes strokes, and why are more young people having them?
Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the U.S., and more adults of all ages are suffering from them.
The CDC said in its 2024 report—which compared data from two time periods, 2011-2013 and 2020-2022—that stroke prevalence had risen nationally by almost 8%. But among people aged 18 to 44, the prevalence of stroke increased by almost 15%, and among people aged 45 to 64 it increased by nearly 16%. (Having a stroke young is still relatively rare, affecting only about 1% of people aged 18 to 44 in 2020-2022.)
The greatest risk factor for any type of stroke is hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, Willey says. “Other risk factors include diet, physical inactivity, tobacco use, and the use of stimulants like cocaine and amphetamines,” he says.
Obesity, diabetes, and high cholesterol are other important risk factors, according to the CDC.
PFOs and other underlying conditions including clotting disorders and some autoimmune diseases can increase a younger person’s stroke risk, Willey says. But the sharp rise in recent years of the number of younger adults with other risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity is likely driving the growing number of people in their 50s and younger who are suffering from strokes, he says.
Almost 24% of U.S. adults aged 18 to 39 had high blood pressure, according to a CDC report of 2021-2023 data.
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“In the past, a risk factor like hypertension didn’t develop until people were in their 30s and 40s, so we wouldn’t see an event like a stroke until quite a bit downstream, when people were in their 60s or 70s,” says Dr. Adam Kelly, a professor of neurology at the University of Rochester Medical Center. But now, hypertension is being diagnosed at a higher rate in younger people, including children and teenagers. “It is worrisome that this whole timeline is being shifted earlier and earlier,” Kelly says.
Kelly says that it is possible that part of the increase in stroke prevalence among younger people could be attributed to better diagnoses of the condition, thanks to improved MRI technology and greater public awareness of strokes and stroke risks. “But I don’t think that explains all of the data,” he says.
How can you prevent strokes, and what symptoms should you be alert for?
The American Heart Association has a list of eight essential steps that everyone should take to optimize their cardiovascular health, which in turn would help reduce stroke risk. These steps are: eating better, being more physically active, quitting tobacco, sleeping well, managing weight, controlling cholesterol, and managing blood sugar and blood pressure.
“I don’t think it’s ever too early to think about stroke prevention,” says Kelly.
As for stroke symptoms, Kelly advises keeping the acronym BE FAST in mind.
B for balance: Sudden loss of balance or lack of coordination.
E for eyes: Sudden changes in vision in one or both eyes.
F for face: Drooping or numbness of one side of the face.
A for arm: Weakness or numbness in one arm.
S for speech: Slurred speech or trouble speaking
T for time: Time is of the essence. If any of these symptoms are present, particularly if they come on suddenly, call 911 and seek immediate medical attention. The faster a stroke is diagnosed and treated, the higher the likelihood of a good outcome.
A sudden, severe headache can also be a symptom of a stroke. “Many patients can have more than one of these symptoms, but the presence of even one can be strongly predictive of a stroke, and they should get to the hospital as quickly as possible,” says Willey.
He adds that young people shouldn’t dismiss any of these symptoms because of their age: “There’s a common misperception among younger individuals that, ‘Oh, this can’t be happening to me.’”
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