Tragedy struck last night (20th) with the sad news of the passing of Internal Bleeding drummer William Tolley. He died while on duty at his day job as a firefighter. The 42-year-old responded to a call in Queens, New York and tragically fell off a fifth-story roof. The NY Daily News reported he answered to a routine operation that was designed to clear heat and smoke to search for trapped residents. He was seen moving between the roof and a ladder that ended in him falling to his death.
While we recognize him as a talented drummer for the long-running Long Island death metal act, he was also a beloved father to an 8-year-old girl and a devoted husband. Tolley was an original member of the band, and he’d been in the band since he was 15. The band shared the heartbreaking news on their Facebook:
“Our drummer, the heartbeat of the band, William Tolley died today. There are ZERO WORDS to describe the loss. He was a good, decent and honorable man who loved his friends, his family and the people he served. There will never be another like him. There are no words to describe the utter sadness and despair we feel right now. We love you Bill.”
We are speechless about this horrible news. It’s always sad when a musician dies, but losing your life in the line of duty is even sadder. As the band pointed out, there are no words to describe an incident such as this. Internal Bleeding had a tour lined up that was set to start next month. They’re obviously not going to make the trek. Our condolences go out to his colleagues, family, friends, fans, and bandmates.
