Nervecell Drummer Bachir Ramadan Injured in Beirut Explosion
Bachir Ramadan, drummer for the Lebanon-based death metal bands Nervecell and InnerGuilt, was one of the 6,000+ people to injured by the massive explosion in Beirut last week, which also left more than 160 people dead.
CNN reports that the blast “damaged or destroyed much of the Lebanese capital and was linked to a long-neglected stash of potentially explosive chemicals.” Lebanon’s “government was plagued by accusations of corruption and gross mismanagement” even before the detonation, the country’s economy is in dire straits, and coronavirus cases are on the rise; as a result, the explosion “was the last straw for many Beirut residents,” who have since engaged in “violent protests.” The country’s government is expected to step down today.
In a recent Facebook post, Ramadan, age 30, shared a gruesome photo of his injuries from the blast (below), as well as this message:
“Survived what could have been alot worse….Thankful every second to be alive to say the least…I want to take the time thank everyone who asked about me and got in touch, i love you all. I am ok.”
A few days later, Ramadan added:
“Grateful and thankful to come out of this alive. Overwhelmed by the amount of love and support pouring in from all over the world and from each and everyone of you my dear friends, it is truly heart warming to say the very least. I am very much speechless at the moment, and it’s things like these that make me appreciate life even more. Love each and every one of you my dear friends!”
In a subsequent interview with The National, the drummer went on to explain that he’d been working at his day job, as an employee of a light-fitting company located 800 meters — less than half-a-mile — away from the explosion:
“It was a normal working day. Then there was this blinding white light. I was pushed back against the wall. The glass in front of me shattered. There was this small library shelf on my left. That just went down. Basically, the whole building went down.”
Ramadan, “dazed and bloodied,” stumbled out into the street to look for ambulances, but couldn’t find any. A stranger eventually gave Ramadan a ride to the local hospital in their car… but “It was so full of injured people that they were not capable of treating everyone.” Ramadan was then able to locate his parents, who took him to another hospital, where over the course of three days he had glass removed from his face and eyes and underwent treatment for multiple skull fractures and nerve damage in his hands. He is currently recovering at his parents’ home (with the help of the music of Chris Cornell — in particular 2007’s “Scar on the Sky“), and expects to undergo physiotherapy to fully recovery from his injuries. He says that metalheads from around the world have reached out to offer their support:
“I can’t describe how it feels, but that is the metal community for you. I have been getting messages not only from the region but also from Europe and South America. I know I am lucky to be alive and I just feel grateful to be here.”
He continued:
“I’m going to recover and I’m going to get back stronger than ever. I’m just trying to stay in a good mental state and keep strong and be positive.”
You can read the full interview with Ramadan here.
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