Jon Wysocki, founding member of the nu-metal group Staind, has passed away at age 53. The news came of Wysocki's passing from his other rock group, Lydia's Castle, posting confirmation of the tragedy on social media.
Although no word has officially come out about the cause of death, TMZ sources say, "the musician was reportedly having issues with his liver."
Jon was one of the original members of Staind, alongside lead singer Aaron Lewis, bassist Johnny April, and guitarist Mike Mushok. He stayed with the group until 2011 before he left for new ventures. Staind would replace him with Sal Giancarelli.
Friends and Fans Remember The Life of Jon Wysocki
Aaron Lewis, lead singer of Staind, took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to memorialize his close friend. He says with a heavy heart, "I'm so sad. I lost my friend. A friend I loved like a brother... fought with like a brother... cared for like a brother... worried about like a brother... cried over like a brother... because he was my brother in arms." "My journey would've been different without him," he continues.
After reflecting on the battles they faced together, Lewis concludes with hope of seeing him again. "I'll see you on the other side my friend," he says. "My brother. Godspeed. My heart, my love, and my condolences go out to his family and loved ones. I'm so fucking sad. He will be missed."
The official Staind Instagram account posted condolences as well, remembering how they all came together. "We first met Jon through mutual friends in 1994," they captioned. "The 17 years that followed were some of the best memories of our times together. From practice in Ludlow, Mass to touring around the world, Jon was integral to who we were as a band."
Fans took to the comments and all over social media to grieve Wysocki and remember the music that soundtracked their lives. One Instagram user somberly replies, "I've had a poster of staind on my wall since I was 8 years old.. I am now 33 and it's still hanging with Jon in the picture, This has hit me hard aswell, You 4 were the reason I survived my childhood and teenage years."
They continue, emphasizing the pain of losing a fundamental artist and how their work helped during bad times. "Losing someone like that who helped you in those times even without knowing them personally, still affects you very much and it has," he expresses.
