Matthew Sweet, a renowned figure, faced a harrowing ordeal when he suffered a stroke in October while in Toronto. This unexpected event led to the cancellation of his cross-country tour, leaving him in a difficult situation. His family and friends came together to start a GoFundMe campaign to assist with his medical expenses as he had no insurance and was losing income due to the inability to tour.

Personal Update and Gratitude

A note from Sweet was posted on the GoFundMe page over the weekend, where he shared a deeply personal account of his experience. He expressed his gratitude to all his supporters and revealed that he had "lived through the day where I realized I may never play guitar again." However, he is determined to make music and art again.He began by describing the terrifying onset of his medical emergency. "I was colder than I've ever been, and an icy sweat poured from every pore. Then, I heard a deafening white noise in both my ears that kept growing in volume. My eyes started to scramble like eggs in a pan."Sweet said he called for an ambulance and during the transportation to the hospital, he was informed that he was having a stroke. Initially, it didn't register with him. "I didn't know what was happening to me at that time as I had no prior knowledge of what a stroke was. I was alone in Canada, taking in the fact that I could only see double and that I was now numb on the left side of my body, face, arm, and legs."According to the GoFundMe description, Sweet had to be flown back to America as "healthcare is not free for Americans in Canada." He had to wait 10 days to receive clearance from his medical team in Toronto to continue his medical care in Omaha. "The only way they would let me travel back to the states was with a medical crew, on an airplane, and directly into a rehabilitation hospital. The cost of all these things was already extremely high. What is mankind doing? Why aren't these things available as part of our culture everywhere?" he added.During his time at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital (he was discharged in early December), he discovered the significance of caring. "As I learned to walk, bathe, and strengthen my legs, and understood what hard work truly meant, I cried many times due to my terrible fate. Yet, I was also extremely thankful for the life I had because it was a wonderful one. I was so lucky and found everything I wanted again and again. Not many people, I suppose, can say that. But you have taught me what care is. Caring about others, caring about what can be done, and caring about what happens. In a way, I never thought anything mattered, but caring does, and I am now very aware of that."He continued, "I've lived through the day where I realized I may never play guitar again, I may never draw a straight line again, or enjoy the pastime that developed in the last year of my life, which was painting with fountain pens and coloring with dip pens and ink. I understand now what it means to need to reinvent oneself. When the self you knew before is gone, you have no other choice. You either quit or you keep going. And so, I feel I must keep going. I feel a great burden to do so with the incredible support that you, many of whom I don't know, have given me. I must just say thank you to you for giving me this help."Despite the dire circumstances, Sweet also expressed hope. "I will try to make music. I will try. I will try to make art. I will try to express myself because that is all I have ever known and all that has ever brought me joy throughout a life filled with more sadness than anyone could imagine. That's life. May you all today find a glimmer of hope and love and a future to strive toward, just as you have helped me find it, every one of you."