27-year old Thomas Fekete, the guitarist of American alternative rock band Surfer Blood, has lost his battle with cancer.
Fekete was forced to leave a Surfer Blood tour back in April 2015 when he had to undergo major surgery to remove a tumour from his abdomen. He then announced the news to fans that the cancer had unfortunately spread to his lungs and spine.
Since then, his condition had worsened significantly, and his wife Jess broke the news of his passing via Fekete’s GoFundMe page, setup to cover his ever-growing medical expenses. “Our sweet Thomas passed on last night, peacefully in his sleep, holding my hand,” she wrote. “With one last sigh, he let go of the burden of pain and suffering that he has been bravely carrying for so long.
“It was an absolute privilege to stand next to Thomas and face this monster head on. Even as his body failed him, his mind and spirit soldiered on. Never was there a day that we weren’t filled with hope. Never was there a day that he even considered throwing in the towel. He was the kind hearted, funny, fearless, magnetic beam of light you all knew him to be up until his very last breath… Now, my beautiful angel, go find Bowie and jam.”
Fekete released a cassette-only LP called Burner in December last year – with all proceeds from its sales going directly towards his medical costs. Surfer Blood also played a number of benefit shows on his behalf to raise funds, and other bands including Yo La Tengo, Guided By Voices, Cults and Real Estate released songs, demos, and compilations to be sold through the GoFundMe page.
Watch: Surfer Blood – Floating Vibes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_RBxVpM_AI
