During a recent interview with ‘Mariskal Rock,’ former Iron Maiden singer Paul Di’Anno has told a story of his tragic accident in 2016, and he revealed how close he was to death.

The artist felt off the stage during his performance in Argentina, and he was injured from both knees. Immediately, he was taken to England for treatment.

After initial checks, it was reported that he needed surgery for knee replacement. Although many years have passed since the accident, he couldn’t undergo surgery due to the risk of infection associated with sepsis healing.

Here’s what Paul Di’anno told to Mariskal Rock:

“I’ve been in and out of the hospital for four years now. It’s been very, very tough for me at the moment. Because of the sepsis, I keep getting infections, so they can’t do the operations on my leg.

At the moment, I’ve only got one knee. The other knee has been taken out, but there’s no new knee put in, so it’s been a cement thing. But I wanna play, obviously, but I can’t do that until I’m fixed. I haven’t stopped playing music, and I’ve got no plans to retire. I wanna keep playing, but I need to get well.”

He continued:

“The sepsis really hits you hard, and on the London plane home from Argentina, everyone was saying to me, ‘Hello, sir. Are you okay? Are you okay?’ And I’m, like, ‘Yeah, why don’t you fuck off and leave me alone?’ sort of thing.

I didn’t realize I was actually dying. And when I actually got home and I collapsed on the floor, I had my cell phone with me. I was on my own, ’cause my wife and kids were over in America. I got the ambulance people.

They came down and they kicked my door in and took me to the hospital. I spent eight months in that hospital… And you’ve got 45 minutes to pump you full of antibiotics or you’ll die. I just about made that. Eight months of recovery there.”

Di’Anno also suffered from an MRSA infection. Because of the increased risk of infection, doctors told to the singer that he couldn’t have surgery for two more years. Despite everything, Di’Anno is optimistic that he will return to the stage one day.

He said:

“If I can’t play music, I might as well fuckin’ kill myself. My main concern is to get back on stage. I wanna play, I wanna play, I wanna play. It’s driving me fucking mad not doing anything and not being able to go out. I can’t even go out of the house at the moment in case I get an infection again.

So I’m pretty much a prisoner in my own home at the moment. So my major concern at the moment is to get my legs fixed up. And once I’ve gotten them fixed up, then the infections will get less and less, which will be great, and then get out on tour.”

Click here for the source of the statement.