The Real Reason We Don't Hear About Susan Boyle Anymore

Susan Boyle out of the limelight

In 2009, an unknown 47-year-old named Susan Boyle shocked the world with her breakout performance on Britain's Got Talent.  Within a few short months, she had become a viral sensation, performed for President Obama, the Queen, and the Pope, and earned over $7 million. Recently, though, she seems to have completely disappeared. Here's a look at the real reason we don't hear about Susan Boyle anymore.

Asperger's Diagnosis, In 2013, at the age of 52, Boyle revealed she had been diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome. The diagnosis brought closure to decades of personal strife, according to an interview with The Guardian: bullied as a child, she was nicknamed "Simple Susie" and labeled "brain damaged." "It was the wrong diagnosis when I was a kid. I was told I had brain damage. I always knew it was an unfair label. Now I have a clearer understanding of what's wrong and I feel relieved and a bit more relaxed about myself." She added in a candid interview with The Daily Mail, "It's a very difficult subject to talk about because you always feel that eyes are on you, and people view you as different. I like to see myself as someone with a problem, but one I can solve."

Family Drama, Boyle has endured more than her fair share of tragedy. Her beloved father, who encouraged her to sing, passed away in 1997, and her mother died at age 91 in 2007, just two years before Boyle's breakout performance. Meanwhile, her sister Kathleen died in 2000 from an asthma attack, and in 2015, her older sister Brigid suddenly passed away from cancer. Adding to Boyle's trouble was a long-simmering public feud with her brother Gerry, who reportedly forced Boyle to hand over more than $60,000 he felt he was owed by threatening to commit suicide. With all that going on, it's no wonder Boyle wound up suffering a much-publicized breakdown.

Secret Crush, In 2014, Boyle finally opened up her heart to her first boyfriend ever — at the age of 53! It had been an admittedly steep learning curve for Boyle, as relationships have always been difficult for her because of her Asperger's. But after meeting the mysterious Mr. Right at a hotel in Florida, the Scotland-based singer struck up a long distance relationship with the gentleman, a doctor who reportedly lives in Connecticut. While she kept his name top secret, she told The Sun "I don't want to say any more about who he is right now as that would be unfair [to] him… All I'll say is we are around the same age and he was a very nice guy. He was the perfect gentleman and even paid the bill… Afterwards we exchanged details. When we said goodbye, he gave me a peck on the cheek."

Source: YouTube by The List