Legendary rocker Ross “The Boss” Friedman is battling ALS.
The 72-year-old shared the news in a statement from his publicist on Monday.
“The diagnosis followed several months of seemingly unrelated symptoms that included weakness in his hands and legs,” the statement read. “A series of very minor strokes was initially thought to have been the cause, but changes in diet, exercise and added physical therapy did not to slow the progression or increase his strength.”
ALS, also commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, is a nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, according to the Mayo Clinic. It causes loss of muscle control and gets worse over time.
It is not known what causes the disease. There is no cure.
“It’s difficult to know what lies ahead, and it crushes me not to be able to play guitar,” Friedman said in the statement. “But the outpouring o love has been so, so strong. I’m absolutely blown away by the love and support from family, friends and fans. I love you all.”
According to Loudersound, Freidman is known for co-founding The Dictators, a proto-punk band, and playing with the iconic metal band Manowar in 1980. He recorded six albums with Manowar before leaving the band in 1988 after playing on “Kings Of Metal.”
Friedman had continued to play with The Dictators until recently. The band announced in November that it was cancelling a show because he had suffered a hand injury that was being evaluated.
