Viveca Hawkins performing with Con Brio at the Independent in San Francisco. Hawkins is recovering from a strike and seizure that nearly took away her ability to sing. (Still Harper)
It’s been five months since acclaimed East Bay singer and songwriter Viveca Hawkins suffered a stroke and a massive seizure, leaving her partially paralyzed and unable to talk. She’s had multiple surgeries in the meantime, including the removal of a portion of her skull. She’s gone through therapy and rehab. And she’s made remarkable progress that, at times, has bewildered her doctors.
Now, the Berkeley High grad and Berklee College of Music alum who’s shared the stage or recorded with the likes of the Coup, Kev Choice, Con Brio, Zion I, Parliament Funkadelic and Stevie Wonder can walk and talk. She’s not singing just yet, but she finds joy in humming along to her favorite tunes, as well as cracking jokes with friends and playing the kazoo.
Though physicians don’t have a stated timetable for it, they say a full recovery is possible, however long and arduous it may be. Hawkins’ amazing early strides have been fueled by her own strength, her team of medical professionals and the love she’s received from friends, family and fans.
Viveca Hawkins poses for a behind-the-scenes photo at Soiled Dove in Oakland. (Daisy Rose Coby)
Hawkins’ childhood friend and co-organizer of the event, Emily Schmookler, says this Sunday’s show is all about “pouring into a person who always pours so much love, energy, joy and fun into everything she does and everyone she’s around.”
Now, Schmookler says, is the time to reciprocate those intangible deposits.
“I don’t think people quite get how life-altering this was for her until they actually see her,” says Schmookler, who filmed a video of Hawkins recently posted on Instagram. Hawkins, known for her big, curly hair and eccentrically fly aesthetic, wears a black hoodie and sports a low haircut as she thanks everyone who’s supported her in her recovery.
“That’s the first time some people have seen her since,” says Schmookler, emphasizing that Hawkins’ hair was a huge part of her identity. “I will say,” Schmookler adds, “she’s taken all this with so much grace.”
On the morning of Jan. 14, just days before her birthday, Hawkins repetitively called her friend, Tiffani Patton. In the middle of morning meetings, Patton initially couldn’t pick up the calls, but knew something was off, as Hawkins usually texts.
“Then I picked up,” says Patton. “And she was just like, ‘Something’s wrong with me, I don’t know what’s happening. I need to go to the hospital.'”
Patton took her to Alta Bates. Doctors ran tests on Hawkins, concluding that she’d had a stroke, and that a blood clot needed to be removed from her brain. “When that procedure happened,” Patton recalls, “she had a massive seizure.”
Hawkins’ condition went from a two to a nine on the emergency scale, says Patton. Things got scary as Hawkins’ brain began to swell; doctors quickly performed an emergency craniectomy to relieve the pressure inside her skull.
Hawkins wore a helmet for weeks afterward. Meanwhile, inside her brain, healing got underway faster than the neurologist expected, says Patton. While the stroke and seizure had severely impacted the part of Hawkins’ brain that helps with speech, being a singer turned out to be a huge asset.
“Words live not just in one part of her brain, but in all these other parts too,” Patton says, quoting the doctor. “So she was able to start talking pretty quickly.”
Berkeley’s Viveca Hawkins has made a full-time living by singing and performing around the world. (Still Harper)
Hawkins’ sense of humor helped, too.
“When I walked in there,” says longtime friend Rafael Casal, referring to a recent visit with Hawkins, “she was already shit-talking me as I was coming through the door.”
He took that as a good sign, one which showed Hawkins’ humor, love, memories and familiarity were still present. Friends since high school, Casal has watched Hawkins grow over the past two decades, and is certain about how she’ll approach this next stage.
“I’ve spent more than half my life watching her cook up miracles in the studio,” he says via a phone call, “and now she’s cooking up the miracle on herself.”
While many have already supported Hawkins via a GoFundMe, Sunday’s event is an opportunity for people to “come through and do the group prayer,” says Casal.
Via email, Hawkins says these past few months have been a journey. She’s learning everything all over again, including counting, and ABCs. “Unfortunately I can’t sing yet,” she writes, “but I am getting voice lessons and speech therapy.”
A singer since the age of 5, she says it hurts not to be able to perform now, but she retains hope that she’ll sing again soon. For those who can’t attend Sunday’s event, Hawkins reiterates that donations are helpful, as are cards, offers to go for a walk, and recorded voice notes.
“Thank you for riding with me,” she writes, addressing her supporters. “I couldn’t do this without you.”
‘Give For Viv: Support Viveca Hawkins’ Healing Journey’ takes place Sunday, June 29, at the Independent in San Francisco. Details here. A livestream of the show can be watched on Sunday night here.
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