Fundraising Campaign Launched For Daughter Of Fallen SALIVA Guitarist WAYNE SWINNY

SALIVA singer Bobby Amaru has started a GoFundMe campaign for the daughter of SALIVA founding guitarist Wayne Swinny who died last week at the age of 59.

In an introductory message on the GoFundMe page, Bobby wrote: "The SALIVA family is mourning the tragic loss of our brother Wayne Swinny. Wayne left us suddenly from a spontaneous brain hemorrhage on March 22, 2023. Wayne fought hard, but ultimately lost his battle. The one bright light is the fact that Wayne was an organ donor and was able to donate his liver and kidneys which saved 2 lives.

"Wayne leaves behind the love of his life; his beautiful 11-year-old daughter Nikki. Also, his sister Linda, his very tightly bonded SALIVA family, countless friends, legions of musicians whom he inspired past and present, and millions of fans across the world.

"The pain and loss his loved ones are experiencing is incomprehensible. We are setting up a donation link to help cover Wayne's expenses and to create a trust for his daughter Nikki. Wayne will miss Nikki's graduations, dances, extracurricular events, marriage, children...milestones, highlights and those times she would have needed her father's guidance and strength by her side. We hope to be able to provide her with some support as she begins her journey in life without him. Any donation is greatly appreciated.

"The SALIVA family is overwhelmed by the amount of love we have received. Thank you all for the posts, calls, e-mails, texts, and prayers. They are greatly appreciated and helping everyone cope during this very trying time.

"Wayne was my best friend and bandmate for nearly 12 years. His sister Linda and I discussed creating a gofundme so that a trust could be created for his daughter Nikki."

Shortly after the news of Wayne's death was made public, original SALIVA singer Josey Scott (a.k.a. Joseph Sappington) wrote on his social media: "I have no words. Just the love, and the little moments, and the looks that we shared, just between us and the fans, on stage, after stage, all over the world, that no one will ever know. Playing music, and writing music with a man like Wayne Swinny, for as long as we did, like we did, in all those places we did, is so very intimate. It was a love we shared together, and I will go into eternity holding on to that love, and those memories. Forever #TheToxicTwins".

On March 22, SALIVA shared a statement on Facebook in which the band said that Swinny had been found that morning "in medical distress." Paramedics were called and the musician was transported to hospital "where he was diagnosed with a Spontaneous Hemorrhage in his brain."

SALIVA was on the road in the U.S. as part of the "Spring Mayhem" tour with THROUGH FIRE and ANY GIVEN SIN and had played in Nashville on March 20.

SALIVA launched its career in 2001 with the release of "Every Six Seconds", a double-platinum selling album with hits that include "Click, Click Boom" and "Your Disease".

The band has toured the U.S. with SEVENDUST, AEROSMITH and KISS.

SALIVA reunited with Scott for a one-off appearance at last year's Blue Ridge Rock Festival at the Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia.

Scott left SALIVA at the end of 2011 after 15 years with the group, reportedly to pursue a solo Christian music career. He was quickly replaced by Amaru, who can be heard on SALIVA's last four releases: "In It To Win It" (2013),"Rise Up" (2014),"Love, Lies & Therapy" (2016) and "10 Lives" (2018).

SALIVA released six albums with Scott and tasted platinum success and a Grammy nomination for its first big hit, "Your Disease".

In May 2021, SALIVA celebrated the 20th anniversary of its breakthrough major label debut, "Every Six Seconds", with a special project called "Every Twenty Years", an EP of classic songs re-recorded with Amaru.