One of the greatest guitarists in rock history has died.
Eddie Van Halen passed away Tuesday morning after a long battle with cancer. He was 65.
The news of his passing was shared by his son, Wolfgang, in a message on Twitter.
"He was the best father I could ever ask for," he said. "Every moment I've shared with him on and off stage was a gift. My heart is broken and I don't think I'll ever recover from this loss."
Eddie Van Halen was born in 1955 in Amsterdam. His family brought him and his brother Alex to America in 1962. The two brothers went on to form the band Van Halen with singer David Lee Roth and bass player Michael Anthony. Roth was later replaced by Sammy Hagar, who was then later replaced by Gary Cherone. Reunions with both Hagar and Roth followed.
His first cancer diagnosis came in 2000, when he was treated for cancer in his tongue. He was declared cancer-free in 2002. However, it was revealed in 2019 that he had been battling throat cancer for five years.
Eddie Van Halen is survived by his wife Janie Liszewski, his son Wolfgang, and his brother Alex.