Billy Strings' injury has been confirmed following a skateboarding accident on Saturday. The American bluegrass artist shared a graphic X-ray on Instagram revealing abroken tibia and fibulasustained in a skateboarding fall that cut short his concert over the weekend.
The incident occurred backstage at the John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, Virginia, moments before his encore performance.
A post shared by Billy Strings (@billystrings)
Strings reportedly attempted a kickflip while skateboarding towards the stage between songs but lost his balance and fell heavily on the pavement. The accident resulted in a broken leg, though Strings managed to get up and leave the stage.
Crew members assisted him into a wheelchair shortly afterwards, according toLive for Live Music. Video footage captured by an attendee shows Strings lying on the ground in pain after the fall and being moved away from the stage area.
One ticket holder also shared a clip of Strings performing moments before the accident. 'Missed out on the encore, but he tore the house down,' they wrote. Another fan posted a concert highlight with the caption, 'Moments before Billy Strings broke his leg.'
A 911 dispatch call confirmed that an artist had suffered a broken leg, with personnel coordinating to transport Strings out of the arena discreetly. An ambulance was later seen leaving the venue bound for the UVA Medical Centre.
Fans flooded the comments on Strings' Instagram post with messages of support, including comedian Theo Von, who wrote, 'Heal up, champ.' Members of the band Thursday added, 'Get well soon, sir,' while others commented, 'You got this, Billy' and 'Billy, I hope it's a swift recovery.'
A post shared by Billy Strings (@billystrings)
Strings later reassured fans that all was well despite the mishap by posting highlights from Saturday's concert. Fans praised the performances, with many urging the artist to take his time recovering. 'May your medical team get you on the path to healing. We hope for a good recovery, no matter how long it takes. We'll be here when you're ready!' one user wrote.
Source: International Business Times UK
