Stryper Guitarist Oz Fox Hospitalized After Onstage Seizure + Fall in Las Vegas
Stryper guitarist Oz Fox suffered a seizure and fell during a performance Saturday night (Aug. 11) at Carnaval Court in Harrah's Las Vegas while playing with his side project Sin City Sinners.
According to a statement from Stryper (seen below), doctors are focusing on "an area of concern" on Fox's brain which they will run a biopsy on. The band will continue touring as a trio until the guitarist returns and they're anticipating he'll make a "full recovery."
Stryper's full statement reads as follows:
Our dear friend and lead-guitarist Oz Fox fell ill Saturday night while performing in Las Vegas with a side project that he sometimes plays in when not touring with Stryper. Oz suffered a seizure causing a fall on stage. After performing an MRI, doctors discovered an area of concern near his brain which they are now running a biopsy on. The doctors have instructed him not to drive or fly for 90 days. No additional information is available at this time. We appreciate your thoughts and prayers and we will communicate additional information as it becomes available.
The logistics and options for current tour dates are being discussed with the respective promoters. U.S. tour dates will play as scheduled and in anticipation of a full recovery will include Oz Fox. The upcoming Australian tour will be performed as a trio (with the blessing of Oz), and will include Michael Sweet, Robert Sweet, and Perry Richardson. For our fans in Japan, please await an announcement from the concert promoter there as to the plans for the Japan tour.
Prior to the release of the statement, Annie Lobért, the guitarist's wife, confirmed the seriousness of the situation in a post on her Facebook page, exclaiming, "Major emergency prayer request! If you are up, please agree with me in prayer for healing for my husband. Oz Fox hospital emergency! Jesus, please help us!"
Stryper are scheduled to begin their tour of Australia this Friday (Aug. 17) as they support their new record, God Damn Evil. The band then heads to Tokyo, Japan for a pair of dates before returning to the States in September for a run that goes through November. The full list of dates can be found at this location.
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