Jay Leno Cancels Conference Appearance Due to 'Serious Medical Emergency,' Organizers Say

Update: Jay Leno and the Grossman Burn Center have confirmed to PEOPLE that he is recovering after suffering burn injuries from a gasoline fire in his garage. Leno's employee and friend, George Swift, also confirmed he is in "great spirits" following the steam car incident and that "nothing life-threatening" occurred to the comedian.

Jay Leno missed a recent appearance due to a "serious medical emergency."

The former Tonight Show host, 72, was scheduled to perform at a financial conference in Las Vegas Sunday night but couldn't attend due to a health issue, according to an email to Forum 2022 attendees from The Financial Brand.

"His family was not able to provide us very many details, but there was a very serious medical emergency that is preventing Jay from traveling," the email stated. "All we know is that he is alive, so our prayers go out to him and his family tonight."

shannon Finney/Getty

Representatives for Leno did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.

RELATED: Jay Leno Speaks Out About His Battle with High Cholesterol: It's a 'Time Bomb'

While the comedian's current condition is unknown, Leno has previously been open about his health. After being diagnosed with high cholesterol, he detailed a scan of a blockage in his heart in a 2019 video. He also spoke about raising awareness of the importance of routine check-ups and healthy eating.

For more on Jay Leno, listen below to our daily podcast PEOPLE Every Day.

"We really want people to see the connection, because a lot of people don't realize high cholesterol — and if you've had a heart attack or stroke, you're increasing your risk for another one," he said at the time. "It's like an earthquake, it might not destroy the house, but it certainly weakens the structure."

Michael S. Schwartz/Getty Images

RELATED VIDEO: Jay Leno's Secret to a Lasting Marriage: 'Not Screwing Around' and Marrying 'Your Conscience'

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

"There's a lot of people walking around like that, they're just time bombs. You've got all this cholesterol, you don't realize it until it actually hits, you know?" Leno explained. "It's like in a car, if even one piece of dirt gets in the eye of the needle of the jet, and boom and no more gas comes through. And that's what happens with your heart."

At the time, Leno said he managed his cholesterol by taking medication and using a portable EKG device that monitors his heart rhythm and detects irregular heartbeats. He also said he stays away from alcohol and cigarettes, but admitted to not being "perfect."

"I'm not one of those guys. I don't run five miles a day and do all that kind of stuff," he said. "Hopefully I'm appealing to people who think like me, which is probably the majority of the population, who would like to do more but not if it sounds like kind of a pain. But this is not a pain, it's really simple. You go to the doctor, it's a quick visit, he can tell you what you need to do."