11 Years Ago: Ronnie James Dio Passes Away
The most tragic thing about Ronnie James Dio’s death from metastasized stomach cancer in 2010 is that it likely could have been prevented. Dio, the man who’s commanding voice will live forever in metal history, was 67 when he died and he had not been tested for stomach or colorectal cancer in at least 10 years. The American Cancer Foundation recommends men and women over the age of 50 at average risk for developing colorectal cancer receive a colonoscopy every 10 years to detect and prevent the spread of colon cancer.
“All the doctors said if he d have gone in [for a colonoscopy] a year earlier or two years earlier, they could have treated him,” said Dio’s Heaven and Hell and Black Sabbath bandmate, bassist Geezer Butler for
Wendy Dio has revealed in a recent interview that the couple didn t think Ronnie would succumb to cancer, despite the prognosis of his doctors.
Ronnie died of gastric cancer in May 2010. He was diagnosed with the condition less than six months earlier after going to the doctor, complaining of abdominal discomfort. We were told it was stage four cancer, but we didn t believe that Ronnie wouldn t make it, because Ronnie was a very strong person, Wendy told Planet Rock (per Blabblermouth.net). And we went to Houston to MD Anderson [Cancer Center] for his chemo treatment, and we would say, We re killing the dragon. We called it the dragon, and we said, We re killing the dragon. Ronnie didn t suffer a lot. He did his chemo treatments. And I didn t think he was gonna die. I [thought] he was gonna beat it.