Matthew Sweet Suffers ‘Debilitating’ Stroke in Toronto, GoFundMe Launched to Aid Recovery

Alt-rock singer-songwriter Matthew Sweet, known for his 90s hits “Girlfriend” and “I’ve Been Waiting,” is currently recovering from a debilitating stroke that occurred while on tour in Toronto on Oct. 12.

The news was confirmed by Sweet’s longtime manager, Russell Carter, in a statement on Tuesday (Oct. 22).

According to Carter, Sweet was immediately admitted to Toronto Western Hospital where he received urgent care. Though his condition was stabilized, he has since been transferred to a rehabilitation center in Omaha to undergo extensive therapy.

Carter described Sweet’s situation as “a long, difficult road to recovery,” adding that the artist will require weeks of around-the-clock care followed by months of rehabilitation.

“Matthew has always been intensely focused and tenacious in all of his endeavors, not only in his recording career, but in all of his artistic and intellectual pursuits,” Carter shared.

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

Due to the stroke, Sweet was forced to cancel his cross-country tour, including both his headline dates and his supporting slots for Hanson.

On Oct. 10, Sweet’s team had already announced the cancellation of his shows via Instagram due to medical illness, but the full extent of the situation was only revealed this week. “Matthew’s primary source of income—like most professional musicians—is live touring, and he cannot perform for the foreseeable future,” Carter explained.

To help cover Sweet’s rising medical expenses, his family and management team have launched a GoFundMe campaign. The campaign notes that while Sweet received life-saving care in Toronto, health care for Americans in Canada is not free, and Sweet lacks both insurance and touring income during this period.

“We have set up a GoFundMe campaign so family, friends, and Matthew’s amazing network of fans can contribute to help pay his medical expenses,” Carter said.

The fundraiser aims to raise $250,000 to cover the cost of Sweet’s care, with donations already surpassing $115,000 from over 2,000 supporters.

The GoFundMe campaign was organized by Catherine Lyons, of Russell Carter Artist Management, who reiterated the severity of Sweet’s condition, noting that the musician’s recovery will be a long process, requiring multiple stages of care.

Sweet emerged from the Athens, Georgia music scene in the 1980s and became a figure in the 90s power-pop revival with the release of his album Girlfriend in 1991, with the album’s title track and the single “I’ve Been Waiting” becoming fan favorites.

Read the statement from Russell Carter in full below:

Last week, Matthew Sweet was forced to cancel an extensive cross-country tour of both headline dates and opening slots for longtime friends, Hanson after suffering a debilitating stroke in Toronto late Saturday evening (October 12).

Matthew was quickly admitted to Toronto Western Hospital where he was put into excellent care and taken out of immediate danger. Matthew was transferred to a rehabilitation center back home in Omaha today where he will undergo extensive therapy.

He is now on a long, difficult road to recovery. All of us who know and love Matthew have hope for a speedy recovery. Matthew has always been intensely focused and tenacious in all of his endeavors – not only in his recording career, but in all of his artistic and intellectual pursuits.

I am confident that his signature determination will serve him well as he focuses now on recovery to good health.

Matthew’s medical expenses in Canada and Omaha are exorbitant and his primary source of income – like most professional musicians – is live touring. He cannot perform for the foreseeable future. We have set up a GoFundMe campaign so family, friends, and Matthew’s amazing network of fans can contribute to help pay his medical expenses.

Please contribute if you can and please repost the link to the GoFindMe fundraiser anywhere you can.

This article was first published by Billboard U.S.