Wayne Swinny, a member of Saliva’s original lineup and the band’s guitarist, has died at the age of 59, People magazine reports.
According to the outlet, a Facebook post by the band said it was out on tour and scheduled to take the stage in Pittsburg on Tuesday when Swinny was discovered “in medical distress” and was transported to a local hospital.
After arriving at the hospital, Swinny was diagnosed with what the band called a “spontaneous hemorrhage in his brain” and was admitted to the hospital’s intensive care unit.
By late Wednesday afternoon, the band provided a second update to their fans, sharing that Swinny had died.
“It is with great sadness that we report the passing of our brother Wayne Swinny. Wayne passed away this afternoon from a Spontaneous brain hemorrhage while we were out on tour,” the band’s announcement reads. “Details for the funeral arrangements will be announced shortly. Wayne will be missed by all those who knew him. We love you, Wayne.”
According to Loudwire, Swinny was the only remaining member from the band’s original lineup after vocalist Josey Scott left the group in 2011 and bassist Dave Novotny left the band in 2015.
Bobby Amuru, who joined the band in 2011 after Scott’s departure, issued a statement about Swinny to the outlet after his death was made public.
“I’m not even sure what to think or how to feel right now. My heart aches for Wayne’s family, his friends, and anyone who had the joy of being around him,” Amaru said. “My heart aches for his daughter Nikki. He loved that little girl so much. He was a Guitar Hero onstage with all the Rock ‘N’ Roll swag that most guitar players dream of. Offstage he was a proud father, an Ancient Aliens expert, and an incredible human who had zero enemies! He would go out of his way to make sure you had a good time.
“I’m grateful that I got to share almost 12 years of my life with Wayne on the stage and, most importantly, off the stage,” continued the vocalist. “He was the older brother I never had. I learned so much from him, and we had a f–king blast together! I will cherish it all for the rest of my life! God Bless you, Wayne. I know we’ll meet again!”
