After feeling unwell during a Judas Priest and being rushed to the hospital , Richie Faulkner commented on the "major heart problem" that led to emergency surgery .
In a statement released through Rolling Stone , Faulkner confirmed that he suffered an aortic aneurysm that caused internal bleeding in his chest. The musician also said that the problem came "out of nowhere," as he has "no history of heart conditions, no blocked arteries, or high cholesterol."
“I’ve always been grateful for the opportunities I’ve received,” he wrote. “I’ve always considered myself the luckiest man in the world to be able to play my favorite songs with my favorite band for my favorite people around the world. Today, just being able to type this for you is the greatest gift of all.”
“Watching videos from the Louder Than Life in Kentucky, I can see the confusion and anguish I was feeling on my face while I was playing 'Painkiller' and my aorta ruptured and started leaking blood from my chest.” Despite the visible discomfort, Faulkner finished the show with Judas Priest before being sent to the hospital. The guitarist also stated that, according to the surgeon who treated him, people who suffer the same problem “usually don’t arrive at the hospital alive.”
Richie Faulkner had five parts of his chest replaced with mechanical parts, and although he doesn't know how long his recovery will take, he assured that as soon as he can "get up and run" again he will spread the news. The guitarist has been part of Judas Priest since 2011 as a replacement for KK Downing .
READ ALSO: Wikimetal Recommends: Mokshers, Brazilian hard rock and blues band noticed by Judas Priest
