Earth, Wind & Fire drummer placed in medically induced coma as family establishes GoFundMe for support
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According to a Facebook page set up to provide updates, John Paris’ family says the longtime drummer was sedated to high blood pressure and difficulty breathing.
John Paris, Earth, Wind & Fire’s longtime drummer, remains hospitalized and in a medically induced coma days after the band was forced to cancel a performance in San Francisco.
According to a Facebook page set up by Verdine White’s wife, Shelly, Paris had previously opened his eyes and was alert. He reportedly asked for his wife, fellow musician Kathy Merrick, and then jokingly told those around him to “Get me out of here.” The breakthrough was short-lived, as Paris complained of difficulty breathing. After tests revealed that his blood pressure had risen, he was sedated once again.
“Although this has been an emotional roller coaster, there have continued to be small moments that give those closest to him hope,” Shelly Clark White wrote on Facebook. “Even now, John appears to show slight responses when music is played. For a man whose life has been devoted to music, those moments have been incredibly meaningful to everyone at his bedside.”
The family has set up a GoFundMe to support Paris and his wife.
Paris suffered a medical emergency shortly before the band was to take the stage with Lionel Richie on August 6. The concert was promptly postponed, and first responders stated there was an individual on the scene who was experiencing a cardiac event.
“Today, we’re asking family, friends, fans, and the music community to surround John and Kathy with the same love, kindness, and generosity they have shared with so many throughout the years,” a statement on the page says. The fundraiser has already generated nearly $70,000 in donations with a target goal of $75,000.