Radio and television luminary Matt Pinfield has miraculously emerged from a coma and is steadily progressing towards a complete recovery. In an exclusive conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, the former MTV VJ and ex-SiriusXM host, who suffered a devastating stroke in January, revealed that he has been discharged from the ICU and is now undergoing rehabilitation at a prestigious facility in Los Angeles.
"Folks, I'm still here," Pinfield, 63, declared with resilience. "I'm on the mend and I plan to make a triumphant return. For two long months, I was unresponsive. My friends feared the worst, thinking they might be saying goodbye. The doctors themselves doubted I'd ever speak or walk again."
Throughout his hospital ordeal, Pinfield's eldest daughter, Jessica, stepped up to manage his medical and financial affairs. "She's my guardian angel," Pinfield said with deep gratitude towards his daughter. "She shielded me from harm." Meanwhile, podcast host Allison Hagendorf, a former Spotify employee, galvanized support from the broader music community.
Pinfield, who hosts SoCal Sound radio, shared a harrowing tale of his near-death experience. He battled pneumonia and was placed on a ventilator. Miraculously, upon regaining consciousness, he astonished his friends by waxing lyrical about music and quoting lines from Procol Harum's "A Whiter Shade of Pale."
"My mates said I went on and on about that song, leaving them in awe of my ramblings," Pinfield recounted with a chuckle. "They were like, 'Yeah, he's still sharp as a tack!'"
Since leaving the ICU in late February, Pinfield has taken a break from social media but is acutely aware of the outpouring of support from friends and musicians. Shirley Manson of Garbage took to Facebook shortly after Pinfield's stroke, hailing his "encyclopedic knowledge of music" and "infectious enthusiasm." She described him as a "highly esteemed figure within the musical community and beyond."
"Matt has championed countless artists over the decades who might have gone unnoticed by mainstream media," Manson penned. "The American music scene would be vastly different without his refined taste and influence. If it weren't for Matt, our band wouldn't exist. He was our fairy godmother. His playing of our band Angelfish's 'Suffocate Me' video on MTV's 120 Minutes all those years ago led Steve [Marker] to discover me. Otherwise, the role of lead vocals for Garbage might have fallen into someone else's hands. We're sending Matt all our love and strength. We're rooting for you, champ."
Musician and producer Butch Walker also encouraged his social media followers to keep Pinfield in their thoughts. "He adores music like no other. It's in his veins, evident in his body language when discussing it," Walker wrote. "The radiant smile and fiery passion in his eyes when talking about any record are magnetic and breathtaking."
Pinfield added, "I'm incredibly thankful for everyone who wished me well. The love and support from the community pulled me through this challenging time."
Looking ahead, Pinfield anticipates being discharged from the hospital by the "end of the month," with his recovery continuing through outpatient care. "I'll undoubtedly take some time to recuperate," he said. "But I'll be back on the airwaves, hosting my radio shows, and doing what I love most – entertaining people with music."
