Ok, so he is sending this text to everyone he knows will get the news back to you?
I hear bells going off with this. It sounds an awful lot like bating the hook to get you to bite and contact him out of deep concern. Entirely manipulative and self serving to his aggenda.
I fell for the medical revelation of mouth cancer when I threatened to leave my XABF years ago. It was a lie, but I stayed and cared for him long before I figured that out.
Does that mean your AH is not telling the truth, no, but it certainly is one potential motive behind this. I agree with waiting, staying no contact, and letting the truth bear out.
Alice