PAUL STANLEY Reacts To Recently Released EDDIE VAN HALEN-JASON BECKER Video: We Lost A 'Real Hero'

December 29, 2020

Paul Stanley has praised Eddie Van Halen as a "real hero."

The KISS frontman spoke out about the legendary VAN HALEN guitarist after viewing a recently released video of a 1996 meeting between Eddie and Jason Becker, former axeman in David Lee Roth's band. At the time, Jason had been diagnosed with ALS, or Lou Gehrig's Disease, and was not in good shape. Van Halen came to Jason's house to give love and support — as well as a guitar — to his friend and to film an ALS awareness promotional video. During their time together, Eddie told stories, talked about his creative process, and played amazing music, instantly sounding exactly like Eddie Van Halen even when playing Jason's guitar through a small practice amp.

Earlier today, Stanley tweeted out a link to the YouTube video and included the following message: "Some just have this empathy, deep kindness & love to give. Humbling to see & a reminder of the real hero we lost.These sharings of spirit can lift someone else to a higher place. When we do something kind for others we can find giving is also a gift to us."

Stanley, who was born with Level 3 Microtia and is deaf in his right ear, is known for his philanthropy, including raising funds for Make-A-Wish, the foundation that creates life-changing wishes for minors with a critical illness.

Back in 2015, Stanley spoke about his philanthropic efforts, saying in an interview: "I think that in life, we need to realize that charity is never an option, it's always an obligation. It's something we can all do in one way or another. Everybody can't give the same, but everybody can all give. And this old adage that you give until it hurts is a distortion of the truth. You give until it feels good. Everybody knows what they're capable of giving, and that's what you should give."

A child prodigy on guitar, Jason rose to prominence as a teenager when he was one half of the technical guitar duo CACOPHONY, with his friend Marty Friedman. In 1989, at only 19 years old and after wowing audiences all over the world, the young virtuoso became the guitarist for Roth, following in the huge footsteps of Eddie Van Halen and Steve Vai. He wrote and recorded on Roth's third solo album, "A Little Ain't Enough", and was poised for superstardom when a nagging pain in his leg was diagnosed as Motor Neurone Disease (MND),also known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS),or Lou Gehrig's Disease, the same condition Stephen Hawking lived with for over five decades. Jason lost the ability to play guitar, walk, talk, and breathe on his own.

Eddie died on October 6 at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California after a long battle with cancer.

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