Legendary Rush drummer Neil Peart died at the age of 67 in California on January 7. The spokesman of Rush, Elliot Mintz, said that Peart had died of brain cancer after a three-year battle with glioblastoma.

During a recent interview with Mistress Carrie, Godsmack frontman Sully Erna has claimed that Neil Peart lost his speaking ability and was in a wheelchair.

After the latest speculations, Donna Halper, who is credited with discovering Rush while working as a radio disc jockey and music director at an Ohio radio station, has denied all claims that drummer Neil Peart had lost his ability to speak before his death in her latest tweets.

Donna Harper took to Twitter to clarify and denied to respond to the recent interview of Sully Erna.

Here’s what Donna Harper wrote in the tweets:

“Sad to say, there are some rumors about Neil Peart’s final months circulating on social media. The vast majority are inaccurate. As for me, I choose to remember Neil as he was, and I want to respect his family’s privacy during this difficult time.

Normally, I would remain silent and let people say what they want to say, but this is different. My friendship with RUSH is something I take very seriously, and I will defend the truth as much as I can. It’s the least I can do.

But it ended the way he wanted, surrounded by his family & best friends. (By the way, he was able to speak, almost till the very end, I am told.) Anyway, I’m just sorry there is no cure for the kind of cancer he had. May he rest in peace.”

She continued:

“That’s the only reason I decided to say something. I hope folks understand. This is not about me. It’s about respecting Neil’s memory and letting him rest in peace.

Yes, it is true that Neil fought his disease bravely. This kind of cancer has taken a number of wonderful people from us. But he never gave up, and he did not want folks to know how sick he was.

I don’t know whether he had the energy to keep a journal. But I do know that claims he couldn’t speak are not accurate. I assume if he wrote anything, it will come out eventually. I don’t think this is the right time for me to ask, however.”

She also added:

“I was there for it all, from 1974 till they stopped performing as a band. We’ve kept in touch for more than forty-five years, and I feel very fortunate to be even a small part of their story.

I’ve been friends with the members of the band (and in some cases, their families) for more than four decades. It’s something that means a lot to me. So, I’m getting my information from folks who were there, is all I’m saying.

There’s a normal human tendency to put oneself at the center of a story. I’m not calling anyone a liar or saying anyone intentionally misstated facts. I’m just saying Neil’s family & closest friends have a different version of events, and I defer to them.”

Check out the tweets below.

Click here for the source of the statement.