Musician Matthew Sweet, a 90’s alt-rocker, suffered a stroke while he was out on tour in Toronto, Canada, which is being labeled as debilitating. Sweet is 60-years-old. For all of those 90s teenagers and young adults, Sweet was best known for his hits, “Girlfriend” and “I’ve Been Waiting.” He also appeared on the soundtrack for the popular horror cult classic, “The Craft” from 1996. It’s being reported by the Daily Mail that Sweet will now require weeks of rehabilitation to recover from the incident.
‘Our longtime inspiration and dear friend, suffered a debilitating stroke this past week in Toronto while in the early days of a national tour,’ a statement about Sweet’s health went on to say. ‘He has been unexpectedly and tragically forced off the road and onto a long, uncertain path to recovery. We are asking for financial help in this difficult time from his family, friends, and fans. Without insurance or touring income, Matthew faces an enormous financial burden.”
‘The doctors and hospital care in Toronto were instrumental in saving Matthew’s life, but health care is not free for Americans in Canada,’ the statement read.
The statement continued: ‘He must now be flown back to the States on an ambulance transport plane with medical staff on board, to a specialized rehabilitation center, where he will receive around-the-clock care and therapy for six weeks. ‘He will then require months of treatment and rehabilitation that we hope will lead to a full recovery. Needless to say, the costs for all of this treatment will be overwhelming. We anticipate a total close to a quarter of a million dollars. ‘Your thoughts, love, and support will mean the world to him. But please donate financially if you possibly can. Matthew will be forever grateful to you. Fans were quick to pay tribute and support the star, with some in disbelief that he has been forced to ask for financial help.
‘Un-f***ing-believable that someone like Matthew Sweet is just one medical emergency away from being destitute. I wonder how much money Sony makes from Girlfriend streams?’ one fan said in post published on X.
Sweet became a hit in the 1990s, but originally began his career in the Athens, Georgia music scene, going on to become one of the top acts in the realm of power pop when his album Girlfriend was released in 1991. The two follow-up records, Altered Beast from 1993 and 100% Fun from 1995 included the popular tracks “Time Capsule” and “Sick of Myself.”