Sheryl Crow Opens Up About Cancer, Lance Armstrong Split, and Becoming a Mom After Heartbreak

Sheryl Crow said she went through one of the hardest periods of her life in 2006, when she split from fiancé Lance Armstrong, learned he was dating another celebrity, and was diagnosed with breast cancer in the same week.

Speaking on Bobby Bones’ “Bobbycast” podcast, the singer said the months that followed included radiation treatment, grief, and anger. Crow, then 44, also realized she still wanted to become a mother after the breakup ended her plans to have children with Armstrong.

After recovering from cancer, Crow adopted her first son, Wyatt, in 2007 and later adopted a second son, Levi, in 2010. She said becoming a parent changed her life.

Crow also shared a story about Wyatt when he was 3 years old. She said he once spoke in detail about living in Africa in what sounded like a past-life memory, describing dirt floors, grass roofs, and long walks for water. According to Crow, he never brought it up again after that conversation.

The Grammy-winning singer has largely kept her sons out of the public eye while raising them in Nashville.