Jesse Malin reveals he suffered a spinal stroke
For years, Jesse Malin has been entertaining fans as both a rock star in his own right and contributing to many iconic bands’ live shows. As he prepared to take the stage again back in March, he suffered a catastrophic injury in between songs.
Malin had been known as a fixture in the punk scene, playing in bands such as Heart Attack and D Generation. From there, he has also been known for his connections with artists like Billie Joe Armstrong and performing with Blondie frontwoman Debbie Harry.
During a performance at Webster Hall, Malin was engaging in a singalong with the crowd on the song ‘She Don’t Love Me Now’ before diving into the crowd. As he tried to make his way back to the stage, Malin collapsed to the floor, unable to pick himself off the ground.
Malin has confirmed that he suffered a spinal stroke at the time, recalling to Rolling Stone, “Everybody was standing above me like in Rosemary’s Baby, saying all these different things, and I was there not knowing what was going on with my body”.
The guitarist has been paralysed from the waist down ever since, with the last six weeks of his life spent in a wheelchair. Malin would go on to describe the past few weeks as incredibly tragic for him, declaring, “I just started bawling. It felt like I was watching myself in this movie. I didn’t know this person”.
In light of his recent injury, Malin’s manager has opened up a campaign for him in the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, which is being used to offset his medical expenses. All donations made in his name will go directly to his hospital bills.
Despite his injury, Malin has tried to look on the bright side, quipping, “I knew I had some great friends and great fans and people in this world — though I would have really preferred a birthday party than to find out this way”. As of yet, there has been no word on when he’s expected to make a full recovery.
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