Chi Cheng, the bassist of the Grammy-winning band Deftones, has passed away.
At the age of 42, the bass guitarist had spent four years fighting to recover from severe injuries sustained in a significant car accident that took place in November 2008.
Despite being in a coma during this time, he had recently shown signs of progress; however, he was taken to a Sacramento, California emergency room at 3 a.m. on Saturday, at which point his heart ceased to function.
His family confirmed his passing on his website, OneLoveForChi.com, and his mother, Jeanne Marie Cheng, also known as ‘Mom J’, honored her son in a heartfelt tribute.
‘I know you will remember him as a giant of a man on stage, possessing a heart for every one of you,’ the statement conveyed.
‘He was taken to the emergency room, and at 3 am today, his heart simply stopped. He departed this world while I sang songs he enjoyed in his ear. He fought valiantly. Your love and support reached him daily.’
On Sunday evening, a candlelight vigil was scheduled for Chi Cheng at Sacramento’s Cesar Chavez Plaza.
His bandmates earned a Best Metal Performance Grammy in 2001, with the Recording Academy, the organization behind the Grammys, stating on Sunday, that he was a ‘powerful bassist who was larger than life on stage.’
‘Although the group’s early years were heavily metal-oriented,’ the statement noted, ‘they were among the first bands to merge a more alternative and ethereal sound with their intense and visceral music, paving the way for new bands to follow in their footsteps.’
Cheng sustained severe injuries and fell into a coma after a car crash involving the vehicle he was driving with his sister, which collided with another car and caused it to roll over.
Since he was not wearing a seat-belt, he was ejected from the vehicle, while his sister, who had her seat-belt on, only sustained minor injuries.
In the years that followed his accident, Cheng’s recovery was reported to be consistent until his passing on Saturday.
In 2009, it was disclosed that he had come out of the coma, and in 2010, doctors stated he was ‘exhibiting signs of improved neuro-function.’
Additionally, he had recently regained the ability to move his legs upon request from his doctors and family.
As one of the co-founders of the acclaimed Californian band in the late 1980s, Cheng collaborated with Chino Moreno, Stephen Carpenter, and Abe Cunningham.
He contributed to five of the nu-metal band’s albums from 1994 to 2006, with their most significant success in 2000 when their platinum-selling album ‘White Pony’ reached number three on the Billboard 200.
The band’s self-titled follow-up album in 2003 debuted at number two on the chart.
Chino Moreno, the vocalist for Deftones, expressed on his Facebook page, ‘Rest in peace Chi Cheng,’ whereas Fred Durst, the singer of Limp Bizkit, shared on Twitter, ‘Rest in peace Chi. My heartfelt prayers are with him and his family. Chi forever. Deftones forever.’
by Wallace McTavish
