Earth, Wind & Fire Drummer John Paris Recovering from Spinal Cord Injury, Family Says

Earth, Wind & Fire drummer John Paris has entered a rehabilitation center following a spinal cord injury, his family announced. The 58-year-old musician was hospitalized in August after a medical emergency that preceded a scheduled performance with Lionel Richie in San Francisco.

Following his hospitalization, a GoFundMe campaign was launched to assist with his medical expenses. The family revealed in an update on the fundraising page that Paris did not have health insurance at the time of his emergency. The campaign has since raised over $100,000.

"John has left the hospital and begun the next phase of his recovery in rehabilitation," the family stated on the fundraising page. "This is a milestone we have prayed for - but it is not the end of John’s journey. In many ways, a new one is just beginning."

Paris's family shared that the initial goal of the GoFundMe was to help his wife, Kathy Merrick, remain by his side in San Francisco while managing household and travel expenses. They expressed gratitude for the support that helped them through the initial "frightening chapter."

"John’s prolonged hospitalization, spinal cord injury, rehabilitation and continuing medical needs have created a financial situation far beyond what we anticipated when Standing With John began," the update read. While Paris and his wife are exploring all available assistance, including Medicare and workers' compensation, the final coverage remains unresolved, and his care continues.

In August, a post on Facebook from Shelly, the wife of band member Verdine White, provided an update on Paris's condition. She noted that after arriving at the hospital, doctors placed Paris in an induced coma to provide critical care. During this time, Merrick and their daughter Kyla remained at his bedside.

"Then came a moment no one in the room will ever forget. John opened his eyes," the post described. "He looked around the room and quietly asked, 'Where's Kathy?' Once he saw her, you could feel the relief that swept through everyone."

The update also recounted Paris's brief moment of consciousness, during which he humorously asked a friend, "Get me outta here man!" However, this moment was short-lived as his blood pressure began to rise, and he experienced breathing difficulties. Doctors made the decision to sedate him again to stabilize his body.

Despite the challenges, "there have continued to be small moments that give those closest to him hope," the family stated. They noted that Paris appears to show slight responses when music is played, which has been particularly meaningful given his lifelong dedication to music.

Paris joined Earth, Wind & Fire as their drummer in 2001 and has since performed on several of their studio albums. The band has a history of numerous hits, including "September," which was added to the Library of Congress's National Recording Registry in 2018, and has won seven Grammy Awards.