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Guitarist Al Di Meola suffered a heart attack while he was performing at a concert in Romania on Wednesday, September 27, 2023. The Associated Press reported that a spokesperson for Badgasar-Arseni Emergency Hospital spoke about the musician's condition the next day. They said that Meola was stable and is continuing to get treatment for his health condition.
People magazine reported that it was photographer Dragos Cristescu who noticed that when Meola started performing, he was holding his chest at one point. The musician was also reportedly having problems while he was leaving the stage. The rest of the band members continued performing until the organizers canceled the show.
While speaking to the Associated Press, the hospital revealed that Meola was taken to the cardiology ward. He was being treated for a segment elevation myocardial infection, also called STEMI.
Cleveland Clinic states that STEMI refers to a heart attack that affects the lower chambers of the heart. It is one of the most dangerous heart attacks and can lead to severe complications alongside death.
Al Di Meola is a father of two daughters from his marriage to Stephanie Di Melona
Al Di Meola, a member of the jazz fusion band Return to Forever, has been married to Stephanie Di Melona since 2015. They are the parents of two children.
World Wide Tune states that Stephanie Di Melona is the creative director of Di Meola Productions. She is quite active on Instagram and has more than 2,000 followers.
Al and Stephanie's eldest daughter is Orina Di Meola. She went to Parsons School of Design from where she acquired her fashion diploma and then joined Lewis University.
According to her LinkedIn profile, Orina has been a sales associate for Christian Dior Couture since 2022. She was previously employed as a style advisor at Suitsupply from 2018 to 2022. Before this, she was a freelance wardrobe stylist for around 10 years.
Al Di Meola and Stephanie Di Melona have another daughter named Ava Di Meola. She is reportedly pursuing a music career and is training herself in guitar.
Al Di Meola shares an update on his health condition
Al Di Meola shared a statement through Instagram on September 28, 2023, where he updated his fans on his condition. He revealed he is going on a temporary break from performances and tours due to his health issues. He added that he couldn't wait to go back on the stage and share his music with all of his fans.
"The energy and connection I feel when I perform are truly special, and I always felt that I can say things throughout the years with my music more than words can express," Al noted.
Al stated that he plans to return to performing by 2024 and requested everyone to stay in touch for more updates. There was a separate statement from the organizers where they apologized to the ticketholders for canceling the show.
They stated that the musician was eager to return to the stage and share his music with them. They noted that they were excited to announce that Al Di Meola had planned to reschedule his shows to 2024 when he hopes to be "back in action."
The statement requested everyone to keep the tickets with them which will be valid for the rescheduled shows. They said that the new dates will be announced soon.
