Finally, she did admit herself to rehab for alcoholism, in spite of her famous song to the contrary. Harwell entered hospice care with only days to live as his liver failure was in the final stages. His representative confirmed in a statement to Entertainment Weekly on Sunday that his family and friends visited him in the past three days before his death hours after entering a medical facility. Alcohol also plays a role in the health of your liver, though it is more directly a cause of chronic liver failure, which is more common and develops over a longer period.
The pressures of fame, the lack of privacy, the demands of employers, and the expectations of fans. The liver is where medications are metabolized too, which is why so many medications mention the liver in potential side effects or precautions. The liver is also responsible for “filtering” toxins from the blood and that includes alcohol. Celebrity alcohol addiction, like any other alcohol use disorder, places tremendous strain on the liver.
People who have certain long-term medical issues, or who currently or previously consumed an excessive amount of alcohol are at higher risk for liver failure, Cleveland Clinic says. But with acute liver failure, liver function deteriorates much more quickly, usually over days or weeks, the Mayo Clinic says. We now know that Steve Harwell’s official cause of death was acute liver failure. The fact he was in hospice tells us that his death, sad as it was, was not sudden or unexpected. In the late 90s, you could scarcely make it through a day without hearing their 1999 hit “All Star” blaring from a car stereo in a passing Jeep Wrangler or convertible Ford Mustang. California Prime Recovery is dedicated to empowering individuals on their journey to recovery from substance use and mental health disorders.
How did Steve Harwell die? What to know about acute liver failure
“Steve lived a 100% full-throttle life,” Smash Mouth said in a statement on Instagram. Rest in peace knowing you aimed for the stars, and magically hit your target.” Smash Mouth frontman Steve Harwell’s past health issues have been following his death. He also reportedly suffered from cardiomyopathy, where weak heart muscles results in deteriorated speech and memory.
At this point, fatty liver disease may give way to alcoholic hepatitis, cirrhosis, or other conditions which finally culminate in acute liver failure. Although an official cause of death has not been confirmed, Harwell’s manager said in a statement Monday the singer had died from acute liver failure after being moved to hospice care. Treatment for acute liver failure differs based on the underlying cause, the Johns Hopkins website notes, but may include options such as measures to counteract overdoses or medicine to treat underlying conditions. For example, if someone took too much acetaminophen, doctors have medications available to help counter the toxicity. In some cases, treatments can prevent further complications or help reverse acute liver failure by giving the liver time to heal, the Mayo Clinic says.
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Therefore, it is assumed that his slurred words on stage in October 2021 were his last to the general public. Harwell started his musical endeavors as a rapper in FOS (Freedom Of Speech) but was drawn more towards the rock genre. He thoroughly imbibed the rock persona, along with the drastic side effects– he developed severe alcoholism and struggled with mental illnesses. Liver failure, the loss of liver function, is rare and kills approximately 50,000 adults in the US per year.
On September 4, 2023, Harwell breathed his last early morning at his home in Boise, Idaho. The cause of death was cited to various piling issues, including cardiomyopathy (heart condition), acute Wernicke encephalopathy (neurological did steve harwell drink a lot condition), and years of struggle with alcoholism and mental illness. Both conditions can be caused by alcohol abuse, which damages the organ and leads it to replace healthy cells with scar tissue — impairing its function.
It’s easy to fantasize about the celebrity life, but when we do, we rarely consider the stressful bits. Celebrities are just as vulnerable to depression, anxiety, trauma, and other mental health challenges as the rest of us. Add to that the fact that they often don’t have the structure of a regular “day job”. Steve Harwell, the lead singer of Smash Mouth, passed away early Monday, less than 24 hours after it was announced that he was receiving hospice care. Due to his continuous alcohol consumption, the habit brought Harwell health woes until it targeted his liver and severely scarred the organ until it was no longer able to perform its function, leading to his death.
Joining the ranks of addicted celebrities who died at age 27, Amy left her fans and loved ones heartbroken and left the world deprived of a remarkable talent. This week’s tragic news of Steve Harwell’s death did not pass without notice in the recovery community. How did Steve Harwell die and what does it tell us about the pressures of fame and celebrity alcohol addiction? His speech and memory problems prior to death were also caused by Wernicke encephalopathy, a neurological disorder caused by thiamine deficiency. The condition also arises because of one’s chronic alcoholism, proving Harwell’s years-long battle with alcohol in the years before his death. Steve Harwell’s journey in the music industry is a testament to the power of perseverance and passion.
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“The way we distinguish between the two is largely based on history,” she explains. That means “knowing whether they had a chronic ongoing liver injury or confirming that they’ve never had any liver injury, but now come in with a new situation where their liver’s not working.” Best known for the 1999 hit “All Star,” Harwell’s “iconic voice is one of the most recognizable voices from his generation. He loved the fans and loved to perform,” the statement said.
The representative noted that he was struggling with alcohol abuse throughout his life which led to the liver failure. In a statement released the day before his death, Hayes said the singer was in the final stages of liver failure. Harwell’s official cause of death has not been made public, but it comes two years after the singer retired from performing in 2021 due to a series of alcohol related health issues. Alcohol use disorder is not the only contributing factor to acute liver failure, but it is one of the most common causes of this fatal condition. Steve will be remembered for his unwavering focus and impassioned determination to reach the heights of pop stardom.
- Robert Hayes, the band’s manager, confirmed Harwell’s condition, detailing his hospice care and the circumstances of his passing.
- It is diagnosed via blood tests, which can reveal whether the organ is working properly.
- Our dual-diagnosis treatment program in New Jersey will help you or your loved one find sobriety.
- Born on January 9, 1967, in Santa Clara, California, Harwell discovered his love for music at an early age.
- However, amidst the whirlwind of success, Harwell’s personal struggles began to surface.
Harwell had previously taken a few weeks off from touring with the band, as People Magazine reported just a week ago, due to what they said were “heart health issues.” Acute liver disease, however, is rare, with about 2,000 people diagnosed with the disease every year. Chronic liver disease is more common than acute and was the ninth leading cause of death in the US in 2020, behind 56,000 fatalities. Acute liver failure is when the organ rapidly loses its ability to function, typically over a period of days to weeks.
Steve Harwell dies: What illness did the Smash Mouth vocalist suffer from?
Born on January 9, 1967, in Santa Clara, California, Harwell discovered his love for music at an early age. His journey with Smash Mouth began in the mid-1990s when he joined forces with guitarist Greg Camp, bassist Paul De Lisle, and drummer Kevin Coleman to form the band. For people with liver failure due to alcohol addiction, treatment may include lifestyle changes, such as abstaining from alcohol, rehab or therapy to address the factors driving someone to drink.
“All the organs in the body work together, so if one fails, then you start seeing other organs fail, as well,” Kushner explains. Recently, some experts have started using the term acute on chronic liver failure. In this situation, a patient “may have underlying long-standing chronic liver disease or cirrhosis,” Kushner explains, and then an infection or other issue “on top of that leads to liver failure.” Steve Harwell, former lead singer for rock band Smash Mouth, died at age 56 on Sept. 4, 2023, due to acute liver failure. Amy Winehouse’s struggle with alcoholism was well-documented and pre-dated her celebrity. In spite of becoming the veritable poster child for celebrity alcohol addiction, Winehouse resisted all attempts to get her to enter alcohol use disorder treatment.
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“Although Steve is here with us still, sadly it will only be for a short time (…) Steve is resting at home being cared for by his fiancée and hospice care,” said Hayes last night. In 2017, he was rushed to a hospital before a Smash Mouth concert as he started to have trouble breathing. According to a news outlet, he hailed an Uber at that time and got himself to the hospital. Overall, Steve Harwell has contributed heavily to rock and pop music culture thanks to his numerous hits over the years. Steve Harwell was not married when he died, and although the singer dated prolifically over the years, most of his relationships ended in failure due to his alcohol problems.
Steve Harwell and Celebrity Alcohol Addiction
The challenge with acute liver failure patients, though, is that they “have to be able to agree to take lifelong immune suppression to prevent rejection of the organ,” Lucero explains. “You can still have actually a functioning liver that has a lot of scarring,” she says, but eventually the scarring will likely impact liver function and lead to liver failure. One day at a time, we help people recover from alcohol addiction and other substance use disorders. Smash Mouth, which last made headlines here and elsewhere for performing in the middle of a pandemic at the August 2020 Sturgis motorcycle rally/super-spreader event, no longer has a lead singer. And the Bay Area band’s longtime frontman Steve Harwell says he’s retiring to focus on his mental and physical health.
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While some cases of liver failure can be reversed with treatment, other patients may need a liver transplant to survive. Harwell left Smash Mouth in October 2021 to “focus on his physical and mental health,” his representative told People at the time. Harwell later developed Wernicke’s encephalopathy, a sudden brain and memory disorder that’s caused by a lack of vitamin B1, which causes brain damage, the Cleveland Clinic explains. People with a history of alcohol use disorder are more likely to develop the condition.
Drinking to excess was the norm in the rock and popular music worlds in the 60s and 70s. In addition to acute liver failure, Harwell was suffering from cardiomyopathy, a heart condition that was causing serious issues in other parts of his body. These issues included heart failure and acute Wernicke encephalopathy, the latter of which caused Harwell to have speech and memory problems. All these, combined with his alcohol addiction, were major factors in Steve Harwell’s cause of death.