A few months ago, Morristown singer-songwriter Eric Hayes‘ was battling back from seriously scary neck surgery.
The future was cloudy. But Hayes found a silver lining that may prove golden: His song about the ordeal.
“It’s very inspiring,” NSYNC’s Lance Bass said in a video posted after hearing the new number, Bionic.
The title is a nod to the advanced technology that saved Hayes’ spine. Snow shoveling had aggravated a decade-old injury, threatening him with partial paralysis and an end to his piano playing.
In a procedure that required deft navigation past Hayes’ vocal cords, windpipe and carotid artery, a surgeon implanted a plastic disc via the front of the singer’s neck.
Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton praised Hayes’ message of “resilience, hope and recovery,” adding, “we could use a lot more of that in the world.”
“He broke his neck, still stands strong, and so can you,” chimed in singer Ryan Cabrera. “Stay bionic!”
Video: Celebrity shoutouts for ‘Bionic’
Hayes released Bionic this week on multiple digital platforms. Here’s what his fans are buzzing about:
“I wrote Bionic for me, it was my way of healing and overcoming,” said Hayes, 36.
“I am happy it is receiving attention and praise from people and the music industry, but it wasn’t ever my intention.”
The composition also is featured in a testimonial for the man who put Hayes back together, Dr. Dante Implicito of the Spine Center at Hackensack University Medical Center.
Now, if Mark Wahlberg needs a theme song for his next movie, The Six Billion Dollar Man….
MORE VERSIONS OF ‘BIONIC’: