Cliffdiver Bassist Survives Near-Fatal Accident

The bassist of emo-punk band Cliffdiver was almost killed in an accident while driving to a gig. Thankfully, he survived, though he is seriously injured.

Tyler Rogers was driving to a show associated with Punk Rock Bowling in Las Vegas. The fest takes place in Vegas this weekend and every Memorial day weekend. Cliffdiver, hailing from Oklahoma, were on the way to the venue when a chain that probably came from a semi truck hit Rogers in the neck.

Guitarist and vocalist Matt Ehler explained on Facebook that during the accident, Rogers lost consciousness, and drummer Eliot Cooper had to move him out of the driver’s set and stop the van.

He adds:

“[Rogers’] carotid artery had been punctured, his jugular was lacerated; he had fractures in his neck, had lost approximately two liters of blood, and needed emergency surgery.”

Surprisingly and extremely fortunately, Rogers survived. The band started a GoFundMe campaign to help pay for medical bills for Rogers and have so far brought in over $50,000.

Ehler also adds that the injuries were graphic and could be triggering to some:

“Please be aware that I’ll be making mentions of gore and other content that may be sensitive to some. I’ll also be attaching some photos that may be considered gruesome or visceral, but we’ll be leaving out the worst of the photos we have, as we believe they’re not appropriate to share.”

As of now, it’s not clear how long Tyler will be hospitalized, or for how long Cliffdiver will be out of commission, but the band are all planning to support their bassist.

“We do know that he won’t be returning to work for quite some time, and considering the number of expenses that have been incurred from these events on top of missing work for the foreseeable future, we are asking for any donations to help make this situation as smooth as possible,” Ehler says. “We are hoping to raise enough to cover all incurred medical expenses, lost income, rehabilitation, repairs and damages, and whatever else it takes to ensure that Tyler, his family and the band can fully recover and recuperate.”

Cliffdiver also request that no one reach out directly to band members or their families right now as they deal with the immediate aftermath of the accident. Those who can’t afford to donate but want to help out can leave encouraging messages on the band’s social media.

We hope to see Cliffdiver back on the stage again soon and wish Rogers a speedy recovery.