Musician, heal thyself: Tony (Muggs) DeNardo's journey from stroke and back

At the turn of this millennium, Tony (Muggs) DeNardo was in his late 20s and strong as an ox. He worked 60-hour weeks scrapping steal, digging ditches in record-breaking time. He played bass in two bands, one of which—the blues-based rock ‘n’ roll outfit The Muggs—was about to record its first album. He had recently run a marathon without training.

Tony was at work one day when he found he was suddenly unable to speak; in a matter of minutes, loss of movement in his right side ensued and he was rushed to the ER.

An immediate cat scan revealed bleeding in the brain and paralysis in the right side of his body. Tony had suffered from a rare hemorrhagic stroke that stats say is fatal 98 percent of the time. Complications, including blood clots in his lungs, followed. Those too are usually fatal.

Throughout the first weeks of what would become two months in the hospital, Tony was fully aware but unable to voice what was happening to him. He was only able to nod his head. His parents were told they would likely lose their son. His dad flew in from California to say goodby. Yet, somewhere amid the myriad tests, machines and the solemn faces of everyone around him, Tony decided he would live.

That Tony survived the stroke was something of a miracle. That he is playing music again—Friday (Jan. 27) at Robusto’s on Mack and regularly at the Tap Room in the Park—is even more remarkable. read more...