Singer Matthew Sweet suffers ‘debilitating stroke’ on tour with band: ‘Long path to recovery’

A ’90s rocker is now facing medical bills upwards of $250,000 after suffering a ‘debilitating’ health emergency on tour.

Singer Matthew Sweet is “on a long road to recovery” after suffering a stroke.

Sweet’s manager, Russell Carter, said the 60-year-old performer had “a debilitating stroke” in Toronto, Canada, on October 12 while on tour with pop rock band Hanson.

“Matthew was quickly admitted to Toronto Western Hospital where he was put into excellent care and taken out of immediate danger,” Carter said in a statement to Entertainment Weekly on Tuesday.

Matthew Sweet of pop-rock band Hanson suffered a stroke while on tour in Toronto, Canada, on October 12. Picture: Rick Diamond/Getty Images

“Matthew was transferred to a rehabilitation centre back home in Omaha today where he will undergo extensive therapy. He is now on a long, difficult road to recovery,” the statement added.

The Post has reached tout to Sweet’s representatives for comment.

Catherine Lyons, who also represents Sweet at Russell Carter Artist Management in Atlanta, started a GoFundMe page to help raise money for Sweet’s medical bills.

“He has been unexpectedly and tragically forced off the road and onto a long, uncertain path to recovery,” Lyons wrote on the page, adding that Sweet “faces an enormous financial burden” following his stroke.

The rocker now ‘faces an enormous financial burden’ with medical bills estimated at $250,000.

Lyons explained that “health care is not free for Americans in Canada”, so Sweet is being flown back to the US and will enter a specialised rehab centre with “around-the-clock care and therapy”.

The “Sick of Myself”singer will then “require months of treatment and rehabilitation” before a full recovery is possible.

“Needless to say, the costs for all of this treatment will be overwhelming,” Lyons said. “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.”

The GoFundMe has raised over $127,000 of its $250,000 goal so far.

Carter told EW that Sweet is back in his home state of Nebraska for recovery.

Sweet is back in his home state of Nebraska where he faces a long road to recovery. Picture: Rick Diamond/Getty Images

“All of us who know and love Matthew have hope for a speedy recovery,” Carter shared. “Matthew has always been intensely focused and tenacious in all of his endeavours — not only in his recording career, but in all of his artistic and intellectual pursuits.”

The manager added, “I am confident that his signature determination will serve him well as he focuses now on recovery to good health.”

Sweet is best known for his hit 1990s albums Girlfriend and Altered Beast. His latest album (and 15th total) Catspaw came out in January 2021.

The alt-rock singer began opening for Hanson on their tour on Oct. 3. He suffered his stroke the day before he was scheduled to perform with the band in Toronto on Oct. 13.

All of Sweet’s other tour dates have since been cancelled.

This article originally appeared in New York Post and was reproduced with permission