Late Thursday night (Jan. 9), Martina McBride told fans via her Twitter page that she and her family have been going through a difficult time. Her mom recently underwent emergency heart surgery.

"I've been absent on social media because I've spent the past week with my family surrounding my mom with love 24-7 in a Kansas hospital following her emergency heart surgery," McBride wrote. "She's a fighter and one of the strongest women I know but she could use your prayers please. Thank you."

Fans and friends responded to the singer's post with an outpouring of love and support, offering up their prayers and well wishes. Among those were two songwriters who have worked with McBride on some of her most enduring hits: Matraca Berg, who co-wrote "Wild Angels," and Gretchen Peters, who wrote "Independence Day."

McBride has said that while she was growing up, her parents were two integral components of her musical beginnings. The family lived in Sharon, Kan., where her mom and dad, Jeanne and Daryl Schiff, owned a dairy farm, PopCulture reports. McBride's dad was a huge country fan who also played in his own country-rock band, The Schiffters, which McBride joined when she was six years old.

McBride's mom didn't stay on the sidelines, either: She worked the soundboard. Together, the group played local events, and McBride remained part of the Schiffters until she graduated high school and moved on to bigger audiences -- much bigger, in fact. Friday (Jan. 10) also marks the 22-year anniversary of McBride's second single, "A Broken Wing," going No. 1 at country radio.

McBride did not share any further details about her mom's health condition, simply asking listeners to keep the family in their prayers.

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