Guitarist Al Di Meola Suffers Heart Attack On Stage, Cancels Remaining Tour Stops
Influential guitarist Al Di Meola suffered a heart attack while performing in Romania on Wednesday.
Di Meola began to clasp his chest while playing a set at the Arenele Romane venue in Bucharest when he suffered the attack. He then reportedly struggled to walk off stage.
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The other two members of Di Meola’s group continued to play for several minutes following his departure, finally announcing that the show was over.
“Thank you so much for coming out, Al Di Meola says hello to everybody,” they announced.
“In a statement, the Bagdasar-Arseni emergency hospital said Di Meola was admitted to a cardiology ward where he is being treated for a segment elevation myocardial infarction, or STEMI (ST-elevation myocardial infarction),” the AP reported Thursday.
After receiving treatment, Di Meola released a statement saying he would put his tour on hold until he recovers:
“I wanted to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude for the incredible outpouring of love and support that I’ve received during the last 24 hours. Unfortunately, I’m facing a medical situation that requires some time off from performing and touring. I want to assure you that I’m receiving the best care possible, and I’m fully committed to making a complete recovery. I’m planning to return in 2024, and I’m already looking forward to making music together once again.”
In a follow-up video Friday, Di Meola’s wife Stephanie gave an update thanking fans for the well-wishes and saying her husband was doing much better.
Di Meola started his career as part of jazz fusion superstars Return to Forever, later branching out on his own to explore fusion and world music.
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