Billy Joel made an emotional and unexpected return to the stage this week, marking his first live performance since revealing a brain condition diagnosis in May.

On January 2, the 76-year-old music legend surprised fans at an amphitheater in Wellington, where a Billy Joel cover band was performing as part of the village’s 30th anniversary celebration. Audience members had no idea the Piano Man himself was about to appear.

Video from the night shows Joel walking onstage with a cane before sitting at the piano as the crowd erupted. “I wasn’t planning on working tonight,” he joked, before launching into “We Didn’t Start the Fire” and “Big Shot,” performing alongside the cover band Turnstiles.

The moment became even more special when Joel’s two youngest daughters, Della, 10, and Remy, 8, joined him onstage, clapping and dancing as he played.

In May, Joel revealed he was undergoing treatment for normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), a condition that affects balance, vision, and hearing. Doctors advised him to pause touring while receiving treatment, and he canceled all scheduled performances.

Speaking in July, Joel reassured fans he’s “okay” and focused on recovery, making this surprise appearance a hopeful and heartfelt moment for fans.