John Paris, the drummer for Earth, Wind and Fire, has been put in a medically induced coma after briefly waking up following his ‘cardiac incident’.
The band were set to perform with Lionel Richie last Thursday at San Francisco’s Chase Center but John ended up being rushed to hospital.
Fire Department crews were called out to the venue after reports of a ‘cardiac incident’ and the 58-year-old musician was taken away in critical condition.
Earth, Wind and Fire have now shared an update on his health on Facebook through bassist Verdine White’s wife Shelly and friend Tazz Cole.
They had previously kept details private while John received urgent care but now Shelly has revealed he was placed into a coma when he arrived at the hospital.
‘As information has begun to circulate publicly, we feel it’s important that everyone hears the story directly from us so there is no confusion about where things stand today,’ the statement said.
The band’s tour manager Toshi had been at his side when the emergency unfolded, praising her ‘steady presence, care, and support’.
John’s wife Kathy Merrick and daughter Kyla stayed by his bedside, along with close friend Eddie M who sat with him daily.
In ‘a few precious moments’, John had opened his eyes and asked for Kathy, giving the distressed family ‘renewed hope’.
‘Sadly, that moment was short-lived,’ continued the statement. ‘Not long after, John’s blood pressure began to rise, and he had difficulty breathing.
‘His doctors made the difficult decision to sedate him again so his body could stabilize and continue receiving the best possible care.’
They said he remains under sedation while being ‘carefully monitored’ by his medical team who will ‘determine the safest path forward’.
‘Although this has been an emotional roller coaster, there have continued to be small moments that give those closest to him hope,’ they added.
‘Even now, John appears to show slight responses when music is played’.
The statement went on to thank fans for their support during the family’s ‘most difficult days’, promising to share updates when possible.
A GoFundMe has been launched to help the family, raising over $69,000 (£51,000) of their $75,000 (£55,400) target already.
Earth, Wind and Fire had been on tour with Lionel Richie around North America since June but the run ended on Friday, August 14 in Texas.
Lionel had been due to play in the UK later this month at the Sandringham Estate festival which ended up being scrapped due to low ticket sales.
The Heritage Live concert series was due to kick off at the beginning of August at the historic Audley End estate and continue throughout summer.
In a statement, organisers confirmed the ‘heartbreaking news’ of the festival’s cancellation following ‘far lower than average’ interest.
The star-studded line-up had included exclusive UK performances from Christina Aguilera and Janet Jackson, as well as the Hello singer.