Ashley Cooke has performed at the Wharf in Orange Beach and won the CMT Music Award for Breakthrough Female Video of the Year for "your place" in 2024. At the age of 28 a person would typically not be worried about their heart. In an interview with Eonline, Cooke opened up about her recent diagnosis and her future plans.

Just last year the breakout country star was touring and receiving national awards for new songs like "Your Place", but now she has a new complication to consider.

“My dad had cancer for the fifth time,” she detailed in an exclusive interview with E! News. “My mom had a heart attack. Both of my grandmothers passed away. My sister had stuff with her thyroid that she’s been posting about, too.”

Meanwhile, the 28-year-old—who also weathered a tough breakup last year—has had something weighing quite literally on her heart.

“I was diagnosed with Brugada syndrome, which a lot of my dad's side of the family has,” Ashley continued. “The toughest part is that I'm still learning about it every day. I really don't know as much as I'd like to know, because there really isn't a ton that we can know.”

A rare disease that can cause an abnormal rhythm in that heart’s lower chambers, preventing blood from being pumped to the brain, Brugada syndrome can lead to sudden cardiac death, according to the Cleveland Clinic. The cause is unknown, but it is most often passed down genetically.

The scariest part, she added, “There's really nothing to do or not do about it. It’s just something I'm living with.” While it doesn’t affect her day-to-day life, “It's just one of those things that I have, and I just know that could be something that takes me someday.”

While Ashley recognizes the matter-of-fact nature of her diagnosis could seem “weird and morbid,” she’s feeling rather good. Not only is she optimistic that she’ll “live a long, happy, healthy life,” but her place in the world is feeling pretty great at the moment.

“One of the beautiful things about your core group being shaken up is that it's almost like God tells you, ‘Hey, you got other people in your life that are wonderful,’” she continued. “‘I put them in your life to rely on and lean on.’”

And though Ashley confessed she finds it difficult to be vulnerable with her work colleagues, the lesson she learned by letting her guard down feels reminiscent of a country song.

“That really taught me that we're all just humans,” she explained. “We meet in professional senses, but at the end of the day, you connect through hardships, and you connect through all of it. So, let them in.”

Another well-known face she’s welcomed into her circle is Luke Bryan, who offered up some mentoring while they were touring in 2023.

Ashley noted that the American Idol judge encouraged her to be prepared to play any song and “have a good time.”

“If there's somebody holding up a sign that talks about the fact that they lost their father to cancer last year, play ‘Drink a Beer’ instead of ‘Country Girl (Shake [It for Me]),’” she added. “That's why Luke has won Entertainer of the Year so many years. He's a show that people die to go to because they feel like their presence in the room dictates the show.”

And Ashley has incorporated Luke’s advice, sharing, “Since then, I've tried a little more to write my setlist in pencil instead of pen.”