Nicko McBrain , from Iron Maiden , released a statement this Thursday, the 3rd, revealing that he has been facing health problems.
The drummer said he suffered a stroke in January that left the entire right side of his body paralyzed from the shoulder down. “I thought my career was over, but with the love and support of my wife, Rebecca, my doctors – especially Julie, my occupational therapist – and my Maiden family, I’ve managed to recover about 70%,” he wrote.
In a video, Nicko explained that this is the reason why he hasn't been able to give 100% in Iron Maiden's live shows, but assured everyone that he is doing well and working towards a full recovery. "I just wanted you to see how handsome and healthy I am," he said.
In a statement, Iron Maiden's manager, Rod Smallwood , emphasized how serious Nicko McBrain's health situation was and how impressive his recovery and willpower were. "Honestly, we didn't know if he was going to be able to play a whole show until rehearsals started in May and he received a lot of support from the band. We were all very relieved when we saw that he would be able to," Smallwood wrote.
"Nicko being Nicko, he didn't want to cause a commotion or any distraction from the tour at that time, but now that he's sure he's going to get there, he thought the fans should know directly from him instead of through rumors," he added.
Check out the full statement: