Deryck Whibley, the founder of the punk rock band Sum 41, has been admitted to the hospital due to pneumonia, with potential complications that could lead to heart failure, according to his wife, Ariana Cooper Whibley. The Canadian musician was photographed being transported to the hospital by paramedics, an image shared by his wife on Instagram.
Ariana, who has been married to the musician since 2015, revealed that the couple was supposed to be in Chicago celebrating their eighth wedding anniversary. Instead, they found themselves in the emergency room, with Deryck now facing a few days in the hospital as he battles pneumonia.
The situation is particularly concerning due to the strain the illness is putting on Deryck’s heart, with doctors warning of a potential heart failure. The couple, who share a three-year-old son, Lydon Idby, and a six-month-old daughter, Quentin Arlo, are no strangers to health scares. Deryck previously suffered from liver and kidney failure in 2014, which resulted in a week-long coma as his body detoxed from alcohol.
Ariana shared her feelings on social media, expressing the difficulty of seeing her husband in a hospital bed again, connected to wires and IVs. She acknowledged his strength, having witnessed his previous health battles, but admitted that it doesn’t make the current situation any easier. She asked for their followers to keep Deryck in their thoughts over the coming days.
In 2014, Deryck’s health scare led him to quit drinking and pursue a sober lifestyle. He later told Vice that the health crisis came at the right time in his life, as he felt his body wouldn’t have been able to handle it later on. He expressed gratitude for the wake-up call, stating that he felt healthier and in the best shape of his life.
The health scare comes after the band announced their disbandment in May, after 27 years together. The band, which also included Dave Baksh, Jason McCaslin, Tom Thacker, and Frank Zummo, expressed their gratitude to their fans for their support over the years. They wrapped up their final tour on September 3, performing alongside The Offspring and Simple Plan.