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Brad Arnold, the lead singer of rock band 3 Doors Down, has passed away at the age of 47, months after revealing a stage 4 kidney cancer diagnosis.
On Saturday, February 7, the band said in a saddening statement that Arnold "passed away peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, in his sleep after his courageous battle with cancer".
In the emotional post, the band also revealed that their hit track Kryptonite, which earned them a Grammy nomination four years after their debut, was written by Arnold in math class when he was 15 years old.
The band said Arnold "helped redefine mainstream rock music, blending post-grunge accessibility with emotionally direct songwriting and lyrical themes that resonated with everyday listeners".
Following the heartbreaking announcement, fans and celebrities alike rushed to social media to pay their tributes to Brad Arnold, who revealed his cancer diagnosis last May.
Singer-songwriter Jon Dretto penned in the comment section, "Rest in peace. Brad will forever be in our hearts, in our playlists and spinning on our turntables."
Recalling his kindness, one fan shared, "I will never forget how Brad showed kindness to my young son when we came to a show back in 2017. We were up just beneath the stage and my son was having the best time, air drumming and singing his heart out. I saw Brad smiling and watching him and before I knew it, he was bent down handing a drum stick directly to him. I will cherish that memory forever and so will my son who’s now 16. Rest in heaven, Brad. Your beautiful heart was a gift to this world."
"Thoughts and prayers for everyone. This band was magical for me growing up, I remember buying their cd as a teen thank you for everything," another comment read.
A fourth fan added, "Rest in peace Brad, your music got me through some real dark times thank you for that."
Throughout their career, 3 Doors Down released six albums, most recently Us and the Night in 2016.
