Steve Harwell in hospice: Smash Mouth singer dying from liver failure

steve harwell cause of death drinking

Steve Harwell, former lead singer for Smash Mouth, has reached the final stage of liver failure and is expected to die within roughly a week or so. TMZ first reported the news, which a representative for Harwell confirmed to Vulture. The 56-year-old is currently resting at home and being cared for by his fiancée and hospice care.

What causes liver failure?

“A larger than life character who shot up into the sky like a Roman candle.” Although the condition is “extremely rare,” Lucero says, it’s also always an emergency. It occurs when, all of a sudden, the liver just stops working in somebody who has no known liver condition, Lucero says.

Was Steve Harwell Cause Of Death Drinking Leading To Liver Failure?

With chronic liver disease, people may lose their liver function slowly, often over a period of many years — even decades, Kushner explains. Chronic liver failure, also called decompensated liver disease, can cause symptoms like nausea, vomiting, fatigue, diarrhea and loss of appetite, the Cleveland Clinic says. Steve Harwell, former lead singer for rock band Smash Mouth, died at age 56 on Sept. 4, 2023, due to acute liver failure. Harwell issued a statement saying he needed to work on longstanding physical and mental health issues. Recently, some experts have started using the term acute on chronic liver failure.

Steve Harwell, the former lead singer of Smash Mouth, has died at 56

TMZ, which was the first outlet to report the news, reported Harwell has “reached the final stage of liver failure” due to alcohol abuse throughout his life. Alcohol also plays a role in the health of your liver, though it is more directly a cause of chronic liver failure, which is more common and develops over a longer period. Doctors are typically able to decide whether or not a patient is a transplant candidate — and, if so, get them listed for a transplant — within a day, Lucero says. The challenge with acute liver failure patients, though, is that they “have to be able to agree to take lifelong immune suppression to prevent rejection of the organ,” Lucero explains.

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steve harwell cause of death drinking

While some cases of liver failure can be reversed with treatment, other patients may need a liver transplant to survive. The “All Star” singer, who retired from the band two years ago, died peacefully, surrounded by family and friends, Hayes said. In some cases, treatments can prevent further complications or help reverse acute liver failure by giving the liver time to heal, the Mayo Clinic says. For instance, although chronic alcohol consumption doesn’t directly cause acute liver failure, it “decreases the threshold to develop drug-induced liver injury,” Lucero says.

It is more common, however, for acute liver failure to occur in people who have no prior history of liver problems. Chronic liver disease is more common than acute and was the ninth leading cause of death in the US in 2020, behind 56,000 fatalities. Below, DailyMail.com explains what liver failure is and how the condition can lead to death. Liver failure, the loss of liver function, is rare and kills approximately 50,000 adults in the US per year. An estimated 5.5million are thought to have cirrhosis, or severe scarring of the liver often caused by alcoholism, which can lead to liver failure. However, there are certain “risk factors” that contribute to liver damage, and in some cases, lead to liver failure.

Smash Mouth had a string of hits in the 1990s and 2000s with All Star, Walkin’ on the Sun and I’m a Believer. Harwell left Smash Mouth in 2021, shortly after a performance in Upstate New York, where he was slurring his words and seem disoriented. https://rehabliving.net/propranolol-7-things-you-should-know/ In this Sept. 29, 2008, file photo, singer Steve Harwell of Smash Mouth performs with the band during a rally celebrating the Los Angeles Angels’ American League West Division Championship baseball title in Anaheim, Calif.

“He is surrounded by Family and Friends,” the representative wrote in a statement to Vulture. At the time, sources told TMZ that he had been battling a number of health issues, including cardiomyopathy, heart failure, and Wernicke’s encephalopathy, which were reportedly exacerbated by his struggles with alcohol use over the years. The band’s manager, Robert Hayes, said Harwell “passed peacefully and comfortably” Monday morning surrounded by family and friends at his home in Boise, Idaho.

Harwell dealt with multiple health conditions in the years prior to his death, including addiction, according to Hayes. Durinchallengingfficult time, the Harwell family asks for privacy and understanding as they mourn their beloved family member. Steve Harwell will be remembered for his musical contributions and his larger-than-life personality and charisma that captured the hearts of many. Harwell’s battle with addiction had significantly affected his health, ultimately leading to this heartbreaking outcome.

With chronic liver failure, patients usually have long-standing liver disease, Kushner says, which can be caused by long-term alcohol use, hepatitis viruses, autoimmune conditions and genetic conditions. “He was surrounded by family and friends and passed peacefully and comfortably,” the band’s manager, Robert Hayes, said in a statement to NBC News. “Steve Harwell was a true American Original. A larger than life character who shot up into the sky like a Roman candle,” the statement continues.

Following the performance, his reps at the time said in a news release that the video had “been taken out of context” to misrepresent the singer. In a statement to USA TODAY, Harwell’s reps then revealed that the frontman had been battling health issues for the past eight years stemming from his diagnosis with cardiomyopathy. At the most severe stage, this scarring is called cirrhosis, Kushner explains. “You can still have actually a functioning liver that has a lot of scarring,” she says, but eventually the scarring will likely impact liver function and lead to liver failure.

If you or a loved one suddenly develops a yellowing of the eyes or skin, tenderness in the abdomen or unusual changes in mental state, seek medical attention right away, the clinic advises. The band is most known for hits like “All Star” and their cover of The Monkees’ “I’m a Believer,” which can be heard in the “Shrek!” soundtrack. During Harwell’s tenure with Smash Mouth, the band sold over ten million albums worldwide, had two #1 https://rehabliving.net/ hit singles and a Grammy nomination. While Steve Harwell may no longer be with us, his music’s memory and impact will endure, serving as a source of comfort and inspiration for his family and countless fans worldwide. The Harwell family and loved ones are grieving the loss of Steve Harwell, who passed away on September 2023. As they face the profound loss, they are united in their memories of a beloved father, partner, and friend.

The band has continued to perform with new lead vocalist Zach Goode since Harwell retired abruptly in 2021. This happens because the alcohol is broken down into acetalhyde, which is toxic to the organ. It can also cause fats to accumulate in the liver, triggering inflammation and further damaging cells. Steve Harwell, the ex-frontman for the band Smash Mouth, has died at the age of 56 years old. “It’s unfortunate to hear about Steve Harwell’s passing from liver failure,” said Vijh, adding this is an opportunity to raise awareness.

The Canadian Press reported the band’s manager Robert Hayes, said Harwell “passed peacefully and comfortably” surrounded by family and friends at his home in Idaho. The singer died of acute liver failure on Monday, Sept. 4 at his home in Boise, Idaho, the band’s manager Robert Hayes confirms to PEOPLE. “He was surrounded by family and friends and passed peacefully and comfortably,” Hayes said in a statement. His death was confirmed by the band’s manager, Robert Hayes, who said the cause was acute liver failure. He said Harwell was “surrounded by family and friends and passed peacefully and comfortably.”

During the later years of his career, Harwell suffered from several health complications with 2013 diagnoses for cardiomyopathy and Wernicke encephalopathy. Additionally, he had been dealing with heart failure, as well as Wernicke encephalopathy, an acute neurological condition that affects the nervous system, according to the National Library of Medicine. The Grammy-nominated band, which formed in 1994 in San Jose, Calif., and scored hits like “Walkin’ on the Sun” and “All Star,” had to postpone several shows in 2017 as Harwell underwent heart treatment. Smash Mouth’s line-up has changed several times over the years – bassist Paul De Lisle is the only remaining original member – while Zach Goode took over as lead singer when Harwell retired. However, his own poor health and reported alcohol abuse affected several performances throughout the years. Smash Mouth lead singer Steve Harwell died Monday at his home in Boise, Idaho.

After a disastrous performance at a festival in upstate New York, Harwell had announced in 2021 that he would be retiring from the band. Beloved Brady Bunch mom Florence Henderson assisted the cast as the house therapist. Throughout the two weeks of filming, Harwell helped his fellow castmates through a music video shoot, and hosted and participated in a Battle of the Bands competition. Smash Mouth singer Steve Harwell, who was once a cast member of the VH1 reality series The Surreal Life, died Monday.

This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Contact a qualified medical professional before engaging in any physical activity, or making any changes to your diet, medication or lifestyle. “Ever since I was a kid, I dreamed of being a Rockstar performing in front of sold-out arenas and have been so fortunate to live out that dream,” Harwell said at the time. “To my bandmates, it’s been an honor performing with you all these years and I can’t think of anyone else I would have rather gone on this wild journey with.” Upon his retirement, the singer said he “dreamed of being a rock star” since he was a kid and thanked his bandmates. The rep had warned that Harwell had “only a week or so to live” and that friends and family had gathered to visit him over the past few days.

“And if it’s given early enough, it can help avoid the need for a liver transplant.” Patients may also receive a special form of continual dialysis, which can help decrease the amount of ammonia in their body, she adds. For people with liver failure due to alcohol addiction, treatment may include lifestyle changes, such as abstaining from alcohol, rehab or therapy to address the factors driving someone to drink. “Limiting things like added sugars, salt, saturated fat, and alcohol can all help reduce your risk of liver disease and liver damage,” she added. Researchers have labeled the rise of chronic liver disease in Canada a “silent epidemic.” Harwell, the frontman of pop-rock band Smash Mouth – behind the megahit “All Star” – died on Monday morning at the age of 56. As the news of Steve Harwell’s passing from acute liver failure makes headlines, the disease is top-of-mind for Canadian experts who want to raise awareness.

steve harwell cause of death drinking

Former Smash Mouth lead singer Steve Harwell died Monday at age 56 from acute liver failure. The artist, whose band is best known for the 1999 hit “All Star,” had been in hospice care, according to representative Robert Hayes. Harwell had “many health issues,” and died from acute liver failure, the band’s manager Robert Hayes confirmed.

  1. “Even though Steve has not been with Smash Mouth for two years now, and the band continues to tour with new vocalist Zach Goode his legacy will live on through the music,” Hayes told PEOPLE on Sunday.
  2. This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
  3. In October 2021, Harwell announced his retirement from the band following a fumbled performance at a beer and wine festival.
  4. “And if it’s given early enough, it can help avoid the need for a liver transplant.” Patients may also receive a special form of continual dialysis, which can help decrease the amount of ammonia in their body, she adds.
  5. Smash Mouth’s line-up has changed several times over the years – bassist Paul De Lisle is the only remaining original member – while Zach Goode took over as lead singer when Harwell retired.

He made a cameo in 2001 comedy film Rat Race and had a well-documented friendship with the Food Network chef and host Guy Fieri. Harwell suffered a personal tragedy in 2001 when his new-born son Presley died from complications from acute lymphocytic leukaemia. The musician reportedly helped to set up a medical research fund in his son’s name. The musician, who struggled with alcoholism, was diagnosed with the heart ailment cardiomyopathy in 2013; and subsequently a neurological condition which affected his memory and speech. He and the band, including Greg Camp on guitar, Paul De Lisle on bass and Kevin Coleman on drums, shot to fame with hits such the 1997’s “Walking on the Sun” and “All Star” from the 1999 album Astro Lounge.

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