SHELTON, CT — For nearly 30 years, Darik and the Funbags, the popular Connecticut cover band, have given so much to adoring fans, whether it's through their high-octane performances at famous local venues, music festivals, or weddings.
Now, residents are giving back to the band and frontman Darik Pearson, a Shelton native, who is battling a stage 4 prostate cancer diagnosis.
As of Tuesday afternoon, a GoFundMe fundraiser has raised over $55,000 in support of Pearson, who was diagnosed in 2020.
"The aggressive nature of the disease, combined with a late discovery, meant my odds of survival were slim. Statistically, only about 30% make it past five years, and even fewer in my cohort," Pearson said in the fundraiser's description. "My family and I now find ourselves in a familiar pattern of chasing adjunct and trial-based treatments, hoping for a breakthrough."
Pearson said the focus of the fundraiser is a "moonshot" - to pursue a treatment using his own dendritic immunity cells.
"While I continue to exhaust standard options, I am beginning the process of saving up for this treatment, hoping for a real shot at a cure," he said.
Money raised will also help with everyday bills, living expenses, medical co-pays, and coinsurance, Pearson said.
"My deepest desire is to witness both my sons graduate high school and keep their lives as normal as possible," Pearson added. "It’s hard for them to see their parents stressed about bills or unable to afford the things they love. They witness my pain and my wife’s exhaustion, and I want to give them hope and stability."
In an update on May 6, Pearson said he spent the previous four months "being paralyzed with pain and praying for relief." He said he lost significant muscle mass, and shared experiences with depression.
"I haven’t been able to perform without major pain setbacks and have resorted to accepting charitable donations to feed my young family," Pearson wrote, noting he's "still miles away" from raising enough money to pursue off-FDA treatments.
According to CT Insider, Pearson is back to performing.
He told CT Insider he feels he owes it to those who have supported him through the years "to try to stay on stage as long as I can."
Darik and the Funbags is a cover band known for its high-energy live performances and wide-ranging repertoire spanning rock, pop, rap and country music.
Formed in the late 1990s by Pearson and former frontman Chris Michols, the band has built a reputation over more than a decade for its dynamic stage presence, crowd engagement and unique takes on popular songs.
The group has performed at local venues, music festivals, college campuses, NFL pregame events and corporate functions, and has shared stages with nationally known artists, according to the band's bio.
In addition to live performances, the band has released several live albums featuring cover songs and original music. The group bills itself as one of New England’s top party bands.
Darik and the Funbags are scheduled to perform at RIVA in West Haven on June 6 at 2 p.m., according to the band's website.
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