Founding Staind drummer Jon Wysocki has died

Original Staind drummer Jon Wysocki has died. According to People, he was 53.

In a Facebook post, Wysocki’s band Lydia’s Castle shares that he passed away on Saturday, May 18.

“We first met Jon through mutual friends in 1994,” Staind writes in their own post. “We came together with [guitarist] Mike [Mushok], [frontman] Aaron [Lewis], and [bassist] Johnny April in 1995 and founded Staind. The 17 years that followed were some of the best memories of our times together.”

“From practice in Ludlow, Mass to touring around the world, Jon was integral to who we were as a band,” the post continues.” Our hearts go out to Jon’s family, and fans around the world who loved him.”

Wysocki played on Staind’s first seven albums, including 2001’s five-times Platinum Break the Cycle, which featured the single “It’s Been Awhile.” He left Staind in 2011 and was replaced by Sal Giancarelli.

Lewis writes in an Instagram post, “I’m so sad. I lost my friend. A friend I loved like a brother… fought with like a brother… cared for like a brother… worried about like a brother… cried over like a brother… because he was my brother in arms.”

“My journey would’ve been different without him,” Lewis continues. “The battles we fought together. The battles we fought against each other. The battles we fought side by side alone with our own demons. The battles we won and the battles we lost. He was my friend. He was our brother. My heart is broken. My world has changed. I’ll see you on the other side my friend. My brother. Godspeed. My heart, my love, and my condolences go out to his family and loved ones. I’m so f****** sad. He will be missed.”