Barry Manilow Admits That Lung Cancer Diagnosis ‘Rocked’ Him: ‘I Thought I Was Dying’

Barry Manilow is opening up about the emotional toll of his recent cancer battle — and how it changed his outlook on life.

The music legend, 82, revealed that his stage 1 lung cancer diagnosis left him shaken, admitting he feared the worst after doctors discovered a spot on his lung.

“I thought I might be dying,” Manilow said in an interview with People published Tuesday, March 24.

Manilow was diagnosed in November after undergoing tests that unexpectedly revealed the cancer. Four weeks later, he underwent a lobectomy to remove the diseased part of his lung.

Following the surgery, he spent seven days in the ICU. With the harrowing ordeal now in his rear view, Manilow says he is now cancer-free.

“I don’t remember it, thank goodness, because it was a nightmare,” he said. “I’m one of the lucky ones; I don’t have to have chemo, radiation and all that stuff.”

“This really rocked me,” he added.

Now cancer-free, Manilow is focused on recovery — though he admits it’s been a long road.

“It has really, really made me take stock of my life,” he confided. “This made me stop and think about: Have I done what I wanted to do, and have I made people happy? Have I been a good friend?”

As he continues healing, the singer says he’s “getting stronger” and moving forward with a renewed sense of purpose — and he’s not letting his cancer battle slow him down: As Closer previously reported, Manilow is in the midst of his 23-show Las Vegas residency, and he’ll soon jet to the U.K. in June for additional concerts.