On February 26, 2010, a press release was issued announcing that Toto’s bass player, Mike Porcaro, was fighting Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
Mike Porcaro
Porcaro realized there was something wrong during a 2007 Toto tour when he started getting numbness in his finger, making it harder to play the bass. Since then, his condition has been deteriorating and keyboardist David Paich updated the world on Porcaro’s situation in an interview with the website Chambers of Rock.
Well Mike is, Mike’s you know, I’d like to say Mike’s doing better but Mike’s … The words I can use are, Mike’s hanging in there. Mike has a great attitude. In general it’s the prognosis that isn’t great you know…
He’s kinda been going downhill for the last three years here ‘cos it’s a very slow degenerative process.
But again Mike mentally is fantastic and if you talk to him his spirits are up and he’s … He’s great and he’s like the old Mike Porcaro except that he’s disabled, he’s in a wheelchair and can’t move … You know?
Can’t walk and can’t play which is a total … Just a heart breaking drag, you know what I mean?
To have a guy you grew up with, a bass player like this, that has this affliction you know what I mean? Which is one of the reasons we’re trying to get out there and make people more aware of ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) and to try and raise money here and give his family a little comfort zone here, ‘cos we’re not doctors, we can’t cure what he has but we can help his family a little bit … But his spirits are good, but He’s got a lovely wife and she is surrounded by a wonderful family.
