Zeke Young, iconic singer-songwriter Neil Young's oldest son, has been struggling with a health condition that limits his mobility since birth.
Life has been challenging for Zeke Young. The son of two celebrities, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Neil Young and Academy Award-nominee Carrie Snodgress, his problems started at birth.
Despite the difficulties his health issues have brought him, Zeke Young has made a fulfilling, meaningful, and successful life for himself.
Neil Young plays guitar onstage at the Chicago Stadium, in 1978. | Source: Getty Images
Zeke Young was born on September 8, 1972, to Canadian-born singer-songwriter Neil Young and actress Carrie Snodress. The two met after Neil saw Snodgress in the 1970 film, "Diary of a Mad Housewife."
Zeke's disability meant he had to use a foot brace, which led to bullying by other children.
The musician was smitten and wrote the song "A Man Needs a Maid," inspired by Snodgress. In the song, he revealed:
"A while ago somewhere, I don't know when/ I was watchin' a movie with a friend/ I fell in love with the actress/ She was playin' a part that I could understand."
Carrie Snodgress inspired one of Neil's most iconic songs, "Heart of Gold," from his best-selling album, "Harvest," which he recorded after they started living together on his California ranch.
She won a Golden Globe and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in "Diary of a Mad Housewife," but she interrupted her career to live with Neil and raise their son.
Snodgrass died in April 2004 at 57 of a heart attack while waiting for a liver transplant at the University of California Medical Center.
Zeke Young's Health Deteriorated from an Early Age
Snodgress and Neil had planned on having their child delivered at home, but when the labor started, the midwife told the couple something was wrong and advised them to go to the hospital for the birth.
Zeke had to be delivered with forceps, and soon after his birth, his parents realized something was wrong. Neil recalled:
"We noticed that his right foot seemed extended, and he could not straighten out his ankle. His right hand was also held in a different position from his left."
To his parents' sorrow, Zeke was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder that causes varying degrees of physical disability and becomes evident at birth or early childhood.
Zeke's disability meant he had to use a foot brace, which led to bullying by other children and angry outbursts from Zeke. At the same time, after seven years together, Neil and Snodgress parted ways.
Zeke lived mostly with his mom in Los Angeles but visited his father often at the Broken Arrow Ranch. The former couple then found a school that helped Zeke deal with his difficulties, and he learned to adapt.
Zeke Young Is Well Respected at His Job
Zeke studied audio recording and started working with Neil, accompanying him on his tours, but it was only a short time before he asserted his independence. Zeke said to Neil:
"Daddy, I think I should get another job because I want to be independent, and you won't be doing this forever."
Zeke worked in the sound departments of the 1996 Stephen King horror movie "Sometimes They Come Back... Again" with Michael Gross, Alexis Arquette, and Hilary Swank, and the sci-fi film "Terminal Justice" with Chris Sarandon.
Since 2012, Zeke has been working for the Home Depot home improvement chain in the complaints department -- notorious for being extremely difficult, but work which Neil revealed he handles well.
Zeke Young, Ben Young, and Neil Young attend the "Paradox" premiere in 2018, in Austin, Texas.
Zeke Young's Half-Brother Was Diagnosed with the Same Disorder
After he separated from Snodgress, Neil married his second wife, Pegi Young, and their first child Ben was born in 1979, and he, too, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy.
Ben's condition is much more severe than Zeke's, and he is quadriplegic and unable to speak. Nevertheless, Ben runs Broken Arrow Ranch and has developed it into a successful business selling free-range eggs. He said:
"The most challenging part - besides the tedious paperwork - is having cerebral palsy. It takes more time to do things, and some people think I don't understand them, which can be a challenge."
Zeke's youngest sibling is Amber Jean Young, born in 1984, and she, too, has health challenges. Amber was diagnosed with epilepsy, but that hasn't stopped her from pursuing a successful career as a multidisciplinary artist.
She is a highly respected artist who has exhibited at the Eleanor Harwood, Hashimoto Contemporary, Marrow Galleries, and the Berkeley Art Center. Amber is married and the proud mom of two children.
ncG1vNJzZmimlazAb63MqKSapZFjsLC5jm1nbWpja3q7scqeZLKnpaO0brLAnJydZZSes6e1wq6jraGVqHqnvs6mZJqmXp3Brrg%3D