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Randy Travis’ wife believes there was “never a doubt” in her husband’s head that he would make it through his debilitating stroke, even though doctors advised her to “pull the plug.”
During an interview with Fox News Digital, Mary explained a crucial moment in Travis’ two-and-a-half-year health battle that stood out to her, and that was the moment doctors told her to end her husband’s life.
“I think Randy, there was never a doubt in Randy’s mind that he could make it through it. It was that magical moment that I went to his bedside when they said, ‘We need to pull the plug. He’s got too many things going against him at that point.’ He had gotten a staph infection and three other hospital-born bacterial viruses like Serratia, Pseudomonas, one thing after another, and the doctors were just saying, ‘He just doesn’t have the strength to get through this,'” Mary said.
Randy Travis’ wife Mary was advised to take her husband off life support after massive stroke. (Terry Wyatt)
Mary was told that Travis’ vitals weren’t doing well, his blood cell count was low, and she was told it was time to say goodbye.
CARRIE UNDERWOOD’S TRIBUTE TO RANDY TRAVIS MOVES GRAND OLE OPRY AUDIENCE TO TEARS
“That’s when I went to him. That was the moment that I knew that Randy Travis was gonna make it because he squeezed my hand and a tear went down his face. And I said, he’s still fighting,” Mary recalled.
“I think Randy, there was never a doubt in Randy’s mind that he could make it through it. It was that magical moment that I went to his bedside when they said, ‘We need to pull the plug. He’s got too many things going against him at that point.'”
Mary went full “mama bear” on the doctors and told them that her husband wasn’t done fighting, and they were “going to fight with him.”
“And I meant that, and Randy meant it. And I knew at that point in time, because he had every odd in the world against him, and he wasn’t giving up. And I was so encouraged by that, to be honest. He was my inspiration,” Mary said.
WATCH: Randy Travis’ wife defied medical advice to ‘pull the plug’ during country star’s stroke recovery battle
Travis’ life-altering stroke occurred in 2013. Prior to his stroke, the musician was hospitalized for congestive heart failure tied to viral cardiomyopathy.
Over the past decade, Travis has turned to artificial intelligence, which has allowed him to continue to make music and go on tour.
Randy Travis stepped out with wife Mary at the People’s Choice Country Awards in 2023. (Tyler Williamson)
“Randy and I are both on stage. I give a little bit of background as far as the music, the musicians, Randy, the stroke, a song, the AI, of course,” Mary told Fox News Digital. She explained that she and Randy made a trip to Washington D.C. to discuss the positive sides of AI, and how we need to embrace it because it’s here to stay.
Randy Travis poses with the ACM Milestone Award during the 18th Academy Of Country Music Honors at The Pinnacle on August 20, 2025, in Nashville, Tennessee. (Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for ACM)
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“And then we show videos of Randy’s historical past, as far as some of his joke-telling, which allows people to see the humor that Randy has. And all the way back to his childhood and working with horses in some of the Westerns that he was in, the funny things along the way. So it gives you a whole, like I said, biographical sketch of Randy Travis. And then James Dupre is singing all of the songs, and it’s just kind of a magical night really,” she said.
WATCH: Randy Travis honored with ACM Milestone Award
Travis was recently honored with the ACM Milestone Award, which Mary believes perfectly highlights her husband’s life.
“Well, the Milestone Award, I guess just the terminology itself ‘milestone’ means a lot of different things based on the roads that Randy has traveled, the things that he’s done, the things he’s accomplished, and the things he’s been through as far as his viral cardiomyopathy living through that, the massive stroke living through, there’s just a whole lot wonderful milestones in Randy Travis’s life,” Mary said.
Mary Davis was advised to “pull the plug” on her husband, Randy Travis, after massive stroke. (Theo Wargo/WireImage)
The couple were greeted by a standing ovation when they took to the stage to accept the award. Jamey Johnson also performed Travis’ song, “Three Wooden Crosses.”
In addition to accepting the ACM Milestone Award, the duo also just kicked off the “More Life Tour.”
Randy Travis accepts the ACM Milestone Award with Mary Travis onstage during the 18th Academy Of Country Music Honors at The Pinnacle on August 20, 2025, in Nashville, Tennessee. (Jason Kempin/Getty Images for ACM))
Mary anticipates that Randy will continue to use AI and make more music in the future.
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“I think there’ll be more songs. I think that Randy’s interested in doing more songs. You know, the first one was ‘Where That Came From,’ the second one being ‘Horses in Heaven’ and there is another one that will probably be coming up pretty soon. We have folders of music that Randy has written. You know, music or songs that Randy’s written. And perhaps one of those will see the light of day,” she said.
Randy Travis suffered from a massive stroke in 2013. (Erika Goldring/Getty Images)
Mary explained how they use AI to create new songs: “AI will be able to use Randy’s vocal from the stems and create a whole new song from a song that may not be completed. And it may work with another artist to co-write, to finish it. And I think the sky’s the limit and AI is a wonderful tool if used correctly, just like the telephone, the computer, everything else in life that we use every day now and take for granted, at one point in time, it was as frightening as AI is today.”
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