NIN Heart Transplant Patient Dies

07/06/09 4:55pm

by Jason MacNeil (CHARTattack)

Eric De La Cruz, the heart transplant patient for whom Trent Reznor, Nine Inch Nails and their fans raised more than $850,000 U.S. (about $987,000 Canadian) in recent months, passed away this weekend. He was 27.

"Sadly, Eric De La Cruz has passed away," Reznor wrote on the band's website earlier on Monday after De La Cruz was unable to regain his health enough to undergo the procedure. "Thank you all for your help and compassion with this."

According to a letter written by Eric's sister Veronica De La Cruz and linked from NIN's site, De La Cruz died early on Saturday.

"I thank you for taking this journey with me," Veronica wrote. "And I am hoping that it isn't over. For Eric's sake and in his memory I must say...'just because we've lost the battle, doesn't mean we still can't win the war.'"

After Reznor heard De La Cruz was denied a heart transplant due to a lack of transplant facilities in his home state of Nevada earlier this year, Reznor quickly created VIP packages for the band's North American NIN|JA jaunt with Jane's Addiciton which gave fans a chance to hear soundchecks, meet the band and eat with the band among other perks. In one day alone, the packages raised over an overwhelming $260,000 U.S. which went to cover the transplant cost.

Reznor was honoured by New York state politicians last week for his work.

Nine Inch Nails are currently touring Europe before heading to Japan and South East Asia next month as part of their Wave Goodbye tour.

You can see Nine Inch Nails here:

July 7 Paris, France @ Le Zenith w/Mew
July 8 Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Heineken Music Hall w/Mew
July 9 Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg @ Rockhal w/Mew
July 11 Balado, Scotland @ Balado Airfield (T In The Park)
July 12 Eadestown, Ireland @ Punchestown Racecourse (Oxegen Festival)
July 14 Manchester, England @ Manchester Evening News Arena w/Jane's Addiction and Mew
July 15 London, England @ O2 Arena w/Jane's Addiction and Mew
July 18 Istanbul, Turkey @ Rock N Coke Festival
July 20 Athens, Greece @ Vrahon Theater w/Jane's Addiction and Alec Empire
July 22 Rome, Italy @ Rockinrome
July 24 Budapest, Hungary @ Syma Sport And Event Centre w/Alec Empire
July 25 Targu Mures, Romania @ Peninsula Festival
July 28 Nimes, France @ Festival De Nimes w/Alec Empire
July 30 Madrid, Spain @ La Riviera w/Alec Empire
July 31 Paredes De Coura, Portugal @ Paredes De Coura Festival
Aug. 2 Stevenage, England @ Knebworth House (Sonisphere)
Aug. 5 Manila, Phillippines @ Araneta Coliseum w/Pupil
Aug. 7 Tokyo, Japan @ Summer Sonic Festival
Aug. 8 Osaka, Japan @ Summer Sonic Festival
Aug. 10 Singapore, Singapore @ Fort Canning Park
Aug. 12 Taipei, Taiwan @ Nan-kang 101