Iron Maiden‘s iconic drummer, Nicko McBrain, recently took to social media to address his beloved fans, providing an update on his health journey. In a heartfelt video message, he shared the details of a serious health challenge he encountered earlier this year.
“Hello Boys and Girls, I hope this message finds you all well! The reason I’m writing to you all today is to let you know of a very serious health problem that I have been through. In January, I had a stroke, thank the Lord it was a minor one referred to as a TIA.”
Nicko went on to describe the impact of the transient ischemic attack (TIA) on his well-being, revealing, “It left me paralyzed on my right side from my shoulder on down. Of course, I was very worried that my career was over, but with the love and support from my wife, Rebecca, and family, my doctors, especially Julie, my OT (Occupational Therapist), and my Maiden family, I was able to bounce back to somewhere near 70% recovered.”
The renowned drummer also discussed the rigorous treatment he underwent and shared the reason for not making the announcement earlier. He explained, “After 10 weeks of intense therapy, it was almost time to start rehearsals for our tour. I feel it’s important to let you know about this now instead of earlier as I was mainly concerned with doing my job and concentrating on getting back to 100% fitness. I’m not there yet, but by the grace of God, I’m getting better and stronger as the weeks go by.”
Nicko expressed his heartfelt gratitude to his fans for the overwhelming support they showed during the band’s ‘The Future Past Tour’. He concluded, “Thank you all for a most wonderful and magical tour so far; you have all been so amazing. Well, that’s it from me. God bless you all, stay safe and well, and I look forward to seeing you all somewhere in time.”
Iron Maiden’s manager added a note to the announcement, summarizing Nicko’s sentiment, “Nicko being Nicko, he did not want to make a fuss and cause any distraction to the tour at the time. But now that he is sure he will soon get there, he thought you fans should know straight from him rather than by any rumors!”
Join Iron Maiden’s global community in supporting Nicko’s recovery journey, as he remains an inspiration to fans worldwide. Stay tuned for more updates and catch Iron Maiden on their remarkable tour!