Beloved Washington Capitals PA announcer Wes Johnson was released from an Atlanta hospital on Friday afternoon after suffering a medical emergency late last week.
In Georgia to host a benefit for the Alzheimer’s Association, Wes did not answer messages on his phone from his wife Kim and was later found unresponsive in his hotel room. Wes was transported to the hospital, where he was intubated to help him breathe and placed in a medically-induced coma for five days. Wes’s condition finally began improving on Tuesday, as the popular voice actor woke up and began speaking again. Days later, he was healthy enough to be released and begin his rehabilitation.
Wes celebrated the moment by posting two photos to his social media accounts.
“FREE FROM THE HOSPITAL,” Wes wrote in one X post. “ALIVE. GRATEFUL.”
FREE FROM THE HOSPITAL. ALIVE. GRATEFUL. pic.twitter.com/wi8DxiVDGK
— Wes Johnson (@WesJohnsonVoice) January 31, 2025
In another inspirational post, he walked out of the hospital under his own power, writing, “FAREWELL ATLANTA. The future awaits. #Grateful”
FAREWELL ATLANTA. The future awaits. #Grateful pic.twitter.com/cxjxTGiHKp
— Wes Johnson (@WesJohnsonVoice) January 31, 2025
While Wes was in the hospital, a GoFundMe created by his close friends and family received over 3,000 donations and raised over $175,000 to help with medical bills and soften the blow while he is unable to work in the immediate future. Capitals owner Ted Leonsis personally donated $25,000.
Wes, with a softened, raspy voice, posted a YouTube from his hospital bed where he shared his heartfelt thanks for the incredible support he’s received.
Johnson said in the video:
Hey, it’s Wes Johnson. It’s still Wes Johnson. The rumors of my demise – well, they weren’t exaggerated – very close. Very close. But I’m still here. I’m still here because my wife decided to call the hotel where I was staying and doing announcing for the Alzheimer’s Association and have my son call security and find out that I was nearly dead.
They took me to the hospital, put me in a coma. I’ve been there five days before I found out that my friends Bill Glasser, Shari Elliker, and Kim put together this GoFundMe where I found out there’s a lot of love in this world that I didn’t know was out there. And I’m grateful to each and every one of you.
I want to thank all the people at the Alzheimer’s Association for everything they have done. I should have been speaking for you and yet you helped my family through this, got them down here to Atlanta, got them in hotels, flew them all around, made sure someone was here when I was in a coma. To Ted Leonsis, who donated $25,000 and the Capitals didn’t have to do that. I’ve been there 25 years and I’m grateful to you guys. I’m proud to be the announcer and to still be the announcer.
Thankful to Bill Glasser and Shari Elliker. I’m grateful to Bethesda’s Game Studios. Yeah, you say that I’m your friend. I am, always will be. Love you, guys.
And I love each and every one of you who have not only donated something to help me get through this but have written, posted, have asked how I am, and have been concerned. I love you all. I’m not going anywhere.
It’s going to be a while as I work my way back. But I’m coming back. I look forward to having you all hear me then. Cheers.
In what has been a devastating week in DC, Wes’s recovery is some much-needed good news.
If you’d like to donate to Wes’s GoFundMe, you can do so here.
