Jesse Malin partially paralyzed after spinal stroke

New York punk veteran Jesse Malin has been left partially paralyzed after suffering a rare spinal stroke.

Speaking to Rolling Stone in a new interview, Malin revealed that he is now paralyzed from the waist down after collapsing in May. While at dinner in the East Village commemorating the one-year death anniversary of Malin’s best friend and former D Generation bandmate Howie Pyro, Malin experienced a burning pain in his lumbar.

Since collapsing on May 4, Malin has been unable to walk. Following his collapse, Murphy’s Law singer Jimmy G carried Malin out of the restaurant they were in, into the hallway of a nearby apartment where an ambulance picked up the fallen musician.

“This is the hardest six weeks that I’ve ever had,” Malin said to Rolling Stone. “I’m told that they don’t really understand it, and they’re not sure of the chances. The reports from the doctors have been tough, and there’s moments in the day where you want to cry, and where you’re scared. But I keep saying to myself that I can make this happen. I can recover my body.”

Malin recalled: “They took me outside for the first time the other day in a wheelchair, and I went through the lobby and I could see the sun shining through the glass, and I just started bawling. It felt like I was watching myself in this movie. I didn’t know this person. By the time I got to the corner, I got myself together and into a park, and just breathed in the air.”

Following several spinal procedures, Malin was moved to a rehab facility at the New York University, where he’s now spent several weeks going through multiple rounds of rehabilitation and physical therapy daily.

Earlier this week, Malin’s manager and several of his musician friends came together to launch a new fundraiser campaign to cover Malin’s increasingly expensive medical fees. Per a description written on the campaign page, Malin’s condition is inoperable. “There is hope but it will be a long hard road using both traditional and alternative medical therapies to get him back on his feet following this very tragic diagnosis.”

Donations can be made here. The campaign is tax-deductible, and all proceeds will go towards covering Malin’s medical bills.

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