IRON Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain has revealed he suffered a stroke which left him paralysed just months before the band began rehearsals for their latest tour.
The 71-year-old feared his career was over after he lost movement down the right side of his body in January.
Nicko had 10 weeks of "intense therapy" just before he was due to start rehearsals for Iron Maiden's The Future Past Tour 2023.
In a statement the drummer said: "The reason I'm writing to you all today is to let you know of a very serious health problem that I have been through.
"In January I had a stroke, thank the Lord it was a minor one referred to as a TIA (transient ischaemic attack).
"It left me paralysed… with the love and support from my wife, Rebecca and family, my doctors, especially Julie my OT (Occupational Therapist), and my Maiden family I was able to bounce back to somewhere near 70% recovered."
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He added: "I feel it's important to let you know about this now instead of earlier as I was mainly concerned with doing my job and concentrating on getting back to 100% fitness.
"I'm not there yet but by the grace of God I'm getting better and stronger as the weeks go by.
"Thank you all for a most wonderful and magical tour so far, you have all been so amazing.
"Well that's it from me. God bless you all, stay safe and well and I look forward to seeing you all somewhere in time."
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The group's manager, Rod Smallwood, responded to the post and said everyone was "very proud" of Nicko.
He said: "The rest of the band and l think that what Nicko has been able to achieve since his stroke shows incredible belief and willpower and we are all very proud of him.
"With this new and musically very complex set to learn ahead of him, he just got his head down and concentrated on recovery.
"We honestly did not know if he would be able to play a whole show until band rehearsals started in May and there was just so much support for him from the band and then genuine relief for all when we saw he was going to be able to do it.
"Nicko being Nicko he did not want to make a fuss and cause any distraction to the tour at the time but, now that he is sure he will soon get there, he thought you fans should know straight from him rather than by any rumours.
"We are all, of course, delighted he battled through this so well and look forward to many more tours together starting with the three western Canada shows and Power Trip in California coming up in a couple of months' time.
"We can't wait. This tour is that good."
The group started their 2023 tour in May just four months on from Nicko's stroke.
Iron Maiden formed in east London in the 1970s and Nicko joined the heavy metal band in 1982.
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