Jesse Malin paralysed from the waist down after suffering spinal stroke

(Image credit: Vivian Wang)

Former D Generation frontman and singer-songwriter Jesse Malin has revealed details of the rare spinal stroke that's left him paralysed from the waist down.

Malin, who cancelled a UK tour in May citing "a serious back injury", has now revealed more about his condition in an interview with Rolling Stone [paywalled link]. In the interview, Malin describes how he collapsed after experienced a burning pain in his lumbar region that radiated down his legs, while eating at a restaurant in New York.

"Everybody was standing above me like in Rosemary’s Baby, saying all these different things," he says. "And I was there not knowing what was going on with my body."

After being taken to Mount Sinai Hospital Malin's paralysis was confirmed, and he's now in rehabilitation at NYU Hospital, where he undergoes three rounds of physical therapy every day.

“This is the hardest six weeks that I’ve ever had,” he says. “I’m told that they don’t really understand it, and they’re not sure of the chances. The reports from the doctors have been tough, and there’s moments in the day where you want to cry, and where you’re scared. But I keep saying to myself that I can make this happen. I can recover my body."

With Malin not having the finances to pay for longterm care, a fundraising campaign has been launch to help pay his medical bills via Sweet Relief, a charity that assists musicians facing physical or mental health issues.

"His diagnosis is inoperable," say the campaign's organisers. "There is hope but it will be a long hard road using both traditional and alternative medical therapies to get him back on his feet following this very tragic diagnosis.

"Jesse is going through so much physically and emotionally. His insurance is good but it will not cover many of his expenses beyond acute care. Your donation can help relieve him of the added pressures associated with the enormous expense of his immediate and long term care."

Donate to the Jesse Malin fund.

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 40 years in music industry, online for 27. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.