How did Connie Francis lose her voice? Singer once opened up about surviving sexual assault and other tragedies

Legendary singer-turned-actress Connie Francis passed away at 87 on July 17, 2025. Francis, who was a contemporary of some of the greatest American artists, such as Elvis Presley and Brenda Lee, rose to fame in the 1950s and 1960s. As per People, Connie Francis, on July 2, 2025, shared that she was admitted to the hospital and informed her fans that she had been going through check-ups and different tests to find out the cause of the immense pain she was experiencing.

Connie Francis took to her Facebook page to share a Fourth of July post, in which she wished her fans and everyone else a 'happy Independence Day' and also confirmed that she was feeling a lot better than before. Even though Francis was quite aged, the news of her death came as a shock to most people, especially her fans. According to certain reports, she was facing chronic health problems and was also going through severe pelvic and hip pain because of a fracture, which forced her to take the help of a wheelchair.

Ron Roberts, president of the musician's label Concetta Records and a former journalist, who was Connie Francis' close friend, took to Facebook and confirmed the unfortunate news of her death on July 17, 2025. Ron's Facebook post read:

"It is with a heavy heart and extreme sadness that I inform you of the passing of my dear friend Connie Francis last night. I know that Connie would approve that her fans are among the first to learn of this sad news. More details will follow later."

Francis had a long and interesting career, as she witnessed both success and failure, and also had her fair share of extreme difficulties and faced tragedies. Being a professional and successful singer at one point during her illustrious career, she even lost her voice. According to Growing Bolder, Francis had undergone a cosmetic surgery, specifically a nasal surgery, which made her voiceless. The surgery caused her to lose her voice; as a result, she couldn't sing for seven long years.

As per Growing Bolder, Francis, after she lost her voice, said:

"Losing my voice was like a surgeon losing his hands."

Connie Francis survived sexual assault

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Besides losing her voice for seven years, which would be any singer's worst nightmare, Connie Francis was also sexually assaulted. According to The Jersey Sound, in 1974, after her performance at the Westbury Music Fair, she was robbed, battered, and raped. Some of Francis' other tragedies include her brother being murdered in 1981, seven years after she was brutally sexually assaulted. He was shot to death by a mob close to his New Jersey residence.

Not to mention, Francis was also put in mental institutions 17 times, that too against her will, from 1982 to 1991. She was divorced four times and also faced a miscarriage.

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