Earth, Wind & Fire drummer John Paris has been placed in a medically induced coma following a critical medical emergency on August 6. Paris was hospitalized shortly before the group was due to perform with Lionel Richie at the Chase Center in San Francisco, prompting the show to be postponed minutes before it was scheduled to begin.
The San Francisco Fire Department responded to a report of a cardiac incident at the venue and transported one person to a hospital in critical condition. Doctors placed Paris in an induced coma upon arrival to provide critical care. According to a family statement shared on August 13, Paris briefly regained consciousness at one point, opening his eyes and asking for his wife, Kathy Merrick. After seeing her, he joked with a close friend, “Get me outta here.” The moment was short-lived, however, as Paris soon experienced rising blood pressure and difficulty breathing, prompting doctors to sedate him again.
Earth, Wind & Fire resumed their tour two days after the postponed show, with former member Sonny Emory filling in on drums. The San Francisco concert has been rescheduled for September 26. A GoFundMe campaign established to support Paris and his family has raised nearly $70,000 toward a $75,000 goal, with several bandmates among the donors.
Paris joined Earth, Wind & Fire in 2001 and has performed on studio albums including The Promise (2003) and Illumination (2005). He has also worked with artists including Patti LaBelle and Sheila E. Formed in Chicago in 1969 by the late Maurice White, Earth, Wind & Fire became one of the most successful groups in American music, selling more than 90 million records worldwide. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000 and is currently the subject of a Questlove-directed documentary that premiered in June.
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Source: Billboard
