Eddie Van Halen Blamed Tongue Cancer on Guitar Pick & In New Interview His Son Agrees: “He Would Hold His Pick in the Same Spot All the Time & That's the Exact Area That He Got It”

Van Halen had said that he suspected his throat cancer diagnosis was the result of putting copper and brass guitar picks in his mouth for many years. However, there’s no sufficient evidence to support the late musician’s theory. Two primary causes of throat cancer are smoking and excessive alcohol consumption. Van Halen has said he’d been doing both since the age of 12.

Related: Eddie Van Halen's Son, Wolfgang, Shares New Song & Touching Home Videos In Honor of Dad, Who Recently Passed From Cancer: 'Love You, Pops'

Wolfgang spoke with Stern about how his uncle, his mom, and his girlfriend have been pillars of support for him during this time. Stern told Wolfgang how, after his dad was first diagnosed with throat cancer, he used to call Stern and they would chat on the phone.

“I was kinda blown out that Eddie Van Halen was calling me. This guy’s my hero….and he always said to me about this whole idea that his pick caused the cancer he felt because he had this metal pick in his mouth because of all the electromagnetism in the room that it actually caused this cancer. And I remember saying to him on the phone: ‘Eddie, I don’t mean to be a buzzkill here, but don’t you think smoking cigarettes is way more detrimental? And he said, ‘No.’ He was convinced of this.”

Related: Eddie Van Halen Gets Epic Tribute at Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Ceremony After Passing From Throat Cancer: 'I'm Going to Miss Him as a Friend'

“People love to give him shit about that,” Wolfgang told Stern. “And it’s misattributed to throat cancer. And that’s not true…I do believe for the tongue cancer he got [in 2000] it’s certainly feasible. He would hold his pick in the same spot all the time, and that’s the exact area that he got [his tongue cancer]. So that’s way more possible, and I could certainly believe [it].”

Van Halen’s Cancer

Van Halen past away from throat cancer, but had two brushes with the disease, as he was first diagnosed with tongue cancer in 2000. After his diagnosis in 2000, he had part of his tongue removed, and was declared in remission in 2002. We just learned that Eddie also had lung cancer in 2017, and a brain tumor in 2019. Eddie sought alternative treatments in Germany, and Wolfgang credits those treatment visits with adding years to his dad’s life. Following a motorcycle accident in 2019, it was discovered Eddie had a brain tumor.

Related: In Birthday Message to Twins Céline Dion Tells Her Boys That Their Dad, Who Died of Throat Cancer, Is "Watching Over" Them

Cancer resurfaced for Van Halen around 2014 when he was diagnosed with throat cancer. Some throat cancers are the result of HPV. Dr. Jessica Geiger of Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center told SurvivorNet in a previous interview about this link between HPV and throat cancer. She said, “HPV-related throat cancer, generally, is very responsive to treatment with radiation and chemotherapy. And the cure rates for patients who have HPV-related disease are a lot higher than those who have tobacco-related throat cancer.”

Get the Facts: What Do We Know About HPV-Linked Throat Cancer?

Therapy After Cancer Loss

For some, like Wolfgang, talking openly about your loss can help to heal it as you move through grief. Tools like therapy, support groups, and speaking with family and friends, can be helpful.

Related: 'Dancing With The Stars' Chrishell Stause Dedicates Next Dance to Parents, Who Lost Fights With Lung Cancer: Using It to Help 'Process' Loss

In a previous interview with SurvivorNet, Camila Legaspi, whose mother passed away from breast cancer when she was in high school, shared how therapy has helped her. She said, “Therapy saved my life. I was dealing with some really intense anxiety and depression at that point. It just changed my life, because I was so drained by all the negativity that was going on.”

Related: "Watchmen's" Yahya Abdul-Mateen II Reminds Us Losing a Parent to Cancer Affects Us Forever By Thanking "Daddy" in Emmy Speech

Legaspi told SurvivorNet that seeing a therapist helped her gain perspective. “Going to a therapist helped me realize that there was still so much out there for me, that I still had my family, that I still had my siblings. The reality is, is when you lose someone, it’s really, really, really hard. And it’s totally OK to talk to someone. And I’m so happy that I talked to my therapist. Keep your chin up, and it’s going to be OK. No matter what happens, it’s going to be OK. There are so many of us that have gone through the same thing that you’re going through.”

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