America’s Got Talent 2008 Winner Neal Boyd Dead At 42

Neal Boyd, an opera singer who won NBC’s America’s Got Talent in 2008, died at his mother’s house around 6 p.m. in Sikeston, Missouri. He was 42-years-old.

Scott County Coroner Scott Amick revealed that Boyd suffered from several medical issues including heart failure, kidney failure and liver problems, which stemmed from his weight problem. Additionally, he was seriously injured in a car accident last year, shattering many bones including his hip. Boyd was unable to walk for some time.

Following his AGT win, Boyd released his 2009 album My American Dream. In 2012, he performed at Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida. Boyd released another album, My Christmas Wish, in 2013.

He also tried his hand in politics, running as a Republican for a southeast Missouri House of Representatives seat; however, he lost the general election in 2012 and in the primary in 2014.

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Boyd was looking to release his next album in 2019, titled In the Middle Of It All, which he considered to be “uplifting.”

On speaking about his upcoming album and the nearly fatal car crash, Boyd maintained a positive mindset.

“Any time you’re in a moment of struggle, God has a way of coming in and uplifting you. You have these ‘down moments,’ whether it be health or physical, like it is now, and it just feels like something great is about to happen once I get back on my feet and back in front of the audience again,” Boyd said.

Former AGT judge Piers Morgan tweeted his respect of the late opera singer.