what happened to eric church in 2017

In 2017, Eric Church experienced several traumatic events that deeply affected him personally and professionally. In late September 2017, he performed at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas. Two days after his performance, on October 1, 2017, a gunman opened fire on the festival crowd during Jason Aldean's set, killing 58 people and injuring hundreds. Church was profoundly shaken by the shooting, especially since many of his fans were among the victims. He described the event as something he could never get over, saying it "broke" him and shattered the sacred connection between artist and fans. Shortly after that, he wrote and performed a tribute song called "Why Not Me" at the Grand Ole Opry to honor the victims. In addition to the emotional trauma from the shooting, Church faced serious health issues in 2017. He underwent emergency surgery for a life-threatening blood clot caused by a birth defect (thoracic outlet syndrome), which required months of recovery. Around the same period, he also suffered the loss of his brother Brandon in 2018. These events led to a significant change in his music and outlook, moving from a brash and arrogant style to a more humble, observant, and reflective tone.