Paul Di'Anno, Iron Maiden vocalist , will undergo his long-awaited knee surgery . The information was shared on the social media page of the London pub Cart & Horses, which hosted the band's first shows in the 1970s and led an online initiative to raise money for the operation.
Kastro Pergjoni , the pub's operations director, posted a photo taken in Zagreb, Croatia, alongside Paul and the doctor who will operate on him, with the following message: “How about that? Out of nowhere, the doctor here is a big Di'Anno fan. Paul, you're in good hands. Thank you to all of Paul Di'Anno's fans and friends for making this happen. We are here to represent you on Paul's behalf.”
Since January of this year, Cart & Horses has been raising funds for the surgery. The pub's fundraising page has accumulated £13,000 (approximately R$95,000), representing 50% of the goal. Other initiatives have contributed to the goal, including a live stream by the Brazilian cover band Children of the Beast ; a crowdfunding campaign by Manifesto Bar in São Paulo; and a series of events organized by Leo Lee Rock , a Brazilian vocalist living in the United States.
Paul Di'Anno has struggled with his health since 2016, when he was hospitalized to have an abscess removed from his lungs. In recent years, he has also undergone knee replacement surgery following several motorcycle accidents over the years. In his last concerts, also in 2016, Di'Anno took to the stage in a wheelchair.
In an interview with El País , the 62-year-old singer reiterated that he has been unable to walk and has been using a wheelchair for six years. After undergoing surgery to implant a kneecap, he contracted sepsis, an infection caused by bacteria that does not respond to antibiotics.
