NEED TO KNOW
Brad Arnold, the 3 Doors Down singer, has died at age 47
His final Instagram post before his death showed him posing with his wife, Jennifer Sanderford, and their dog on Christmas Day
“I can’t tell ya how thankful I am to be here,” the musician captioned the post
Brad Arnold was expressing his gratitude for his loved ones in the final social media post before his death at 47.
On Saturday, Feb. 7, the band 3 Doors Down announced on Instagram that Arnold had died, less than a year after he publicly shared his stage four kidney cancer diagnosis.
The lead singer had made his final post on Instagram six weeks prior. Arnold posted a photo of himself, his wife Jennifer Sanderford, and their dog in front of a decorated tree on Christmas Day.
“Merry Christmas, everybody,” Arnold captioned the snap at the time. “I can’t tell ya how thankful I am to be here!”
Back in May, the rock band, which also includes Chet Roberts and Justin Biltonen, revealed on social media that Arnold was diagnosed with kidney cancer that had spread to his lungs.
“I’ve been sick a couple of weeks ago and then went to the hospital and got checked out,” said Arnold in a May 7 Instagram video, adding he later “got the diagnosis that I had clear cell renal carcinoma that had metastasized into my lung. And that’s stage 4, and that’s not real good.”
“But we serve a mighty God, and he can overcome anything,” he continued. “So I have no fear. I really, sincerely am not scared of it at all, but it is going to force us to cancel our tour this summer and we’re sorry for that.”
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3 Doors Down
Peter Pakvis/Redferns
On Saturday, Feb. 7, the band shared that the “founding member, vocalist and original drummer of 3 Doors Down” had tragically died at 47.
“With his beloved wife Jennifer and his family by his side, he passed away peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, in his sleep after his courageous battle with cancer,” the band wrote in a social media statement. “Brad’s songwriting became a cultural touchstone for a generation, producing some of the most enduring hits of the 2000s, including the band’s breakout hit, ‘Kryptonite,’ which he wrote in his math class when he was just 15 years old.”
Brad Arnold of musical guest 3 Doors Down performs on ‘Tonight Show with Jay Leno’
Paul Drinkwater/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty
“His music reverberated far beyond the stage, creating moments of connection, joy, faith, and shared experiences that will live on long after the stages he performed on,” the band continued.
Beyond the legacy that Arnold leaves behind in his music, he was also remembered as a “devoted husband to Jennifer” and a shining light whose “kindness, humor and generosity touched everyone fortunate enough to know him.”
“The family is deeply grateful for the outpouring of love and support during this difficult time and kindly asks that their privacy be respected,” the band concluded. “He will be deeply missed and forever remembered.”
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