Brad Arnold, the sole remaining founding member of the rock band 3 Doors Down, has been diagnosed with stage four cancer. The band, celebrated for their groundbreaking work in the rock idiom, originally came together in Mississippi. The band first captured national attention all the way back in 2000 with their breakout single “Kryptonite.” Arnold realized that he had written the song during a mathematics class in his mid-teens. It flew all the way to No. 3 on the US charts and received a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Song.
Arnold’s journey over the last 20 years with 3 Doors Down has been filled with extraordinary accomplishments. Their 1999 debut album “The Better Life” eventually reached seven times platinum. The band went on to release Seventeen Days in 2005, followed by a self-titled LP in 2008. What’s more, her two albums skyrocketed to number one at the US box office! The band’s success continued with hit singles like “When I’m Gone” and “Here Without You,” which received Grammy nominations.
Despite these achievements, Arnold’s life has been quite difficult. He has been transparent about his challenges with alcohol addiction but attributed his Christian faith to getting him sober since 2016.
“Without question, God took that burden from me,” Arnold stated.
Tragically, the band members have suffered losses as well. That same year, Matt Roberts, the founding guitarist, succumbed to a heroin overdose at the age of 38. At the same time, Todd Harrell, the band’s bassist, was eventually replaced after being convicted of vehicular homicide in 2013. To find out just how much these events have affected Arnold and the other surviving members of the band, read on.
Arnold spoke openly about his recent health challenges. As a result, he was able to respond when he started feeling bad and went to get treated. This decision ultimately resulted in his diagnosis of renal carcinoma which had metastasized into his lung.
“Then I went to the hospital and got checked out and actually got the diagnosis that I had a renal carcinoma that had metastasised into my lung,” he explained.
Arnold is unshaken in his faith. He announced his confidence in God’s aid throughout this difficult period.
“It’s stage four, and that’s not real good. But, you know what? We serve a mighty God, and he can overcome anything. So I have no fear, I really sincerely am not scared of it at all,” Arnold affirmed.
Despite this diagnosis, Arnold still leans on his faith for strength. He reflected on the weight he was transporting before starting his sobriety journey.
“I was so tired of carrying it. I couldn’t carry it anymore so I gave it to God and I’m not taking it back.”
Over the course of their career, 3 Doors Down have graced the front pages for record-breaking performances at such events. Perhaps the best example of this came during the “Make America Great Again!” Welcome Celebration at Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration in 2017.