Deftones’ Bassist Showing Recovery After Coma

Chi Cheng

It’s been nearly three and a half years since Deftones’ bassist Chi Cheng was in a horrible car crash which left him in a deep coma, but Wednesday, good news was made public to fans that the musician is finally showing signs of improvement.

Cheng has remained in a semi-conscious state since November 2008, when he and his sister were involved in near-fatal collision. The accident not only put him in critical condition, but also required him to endure life-threatening surgery. In the midst of it all, he also suffered a serious septicemia infection that, luckily, he was able to fight off.

According to the recent update, the bass player, who’s been with the Deftones since 1988, has begun responding to basic commands, can lift his legs when asked, and is now able to communicate with basic sounds.

Sadly, Cheng’s insurance coverage was cut off just months after his accident, but with the help, love, and support of his family, band and fan base, he’s been able to sustain his recovery. Numerous benefit concerts and the development of the website One Love for Chi (where people can donate and check on his progress), were crucial to it.

This news made my day. As an avid fan of the Deftones since the age of 14 (18 freakin’ years!), I have been following Chi’s recovery and am still praying for him.

See Chi’s improvement in the video after the cut, followed by the Deftones’ video for “Hexagram”, which I’m proud to say I was apart of back in 2003 (as an extra, but hey, I was super pumped!).