Gene Simmons, who was involved in a car crash on the Pacific Coast Highway on October 7 and subsequently taken to the hospital, reassured his fans that he was "completely fine" and recovering well from the incident. As per NBC4 Los Angeles, a witness called 911 after Gene was seen veering across several lanes on the Malibu highway, before he crashed into a parked car around 1 p.m. He reportedly told responders that he had fainted behind the wheel, with his wife, Shannon Simmons, later explaining to the outlet that his doctors had recently changed his medication.
She added that Gene had been discharged from the hospital and was on the mend at home. The KISS rocker shared in a voice message to the outlet that he was "doing fine", and later took to X to reassure fans of his good health. "Thanks, everybody, for the kind wishes," he wrote. "I'm completely fine. I had a slight fender bender. It happens. Especially to those of us [who are] horrible drivers. And that's me. All is well."
The 76-year-old has been living with atrial fibrillation since the mid '00s, which is a common condition where the heart beats rapidly and irregularly, leading to inefficient blood flow around the body. The symptoms can include fatigue, shortness of breath and palpitations, and the condition can lead to a stroke if not properly monitored.
"I had never heard of the term AFib, but about 10 years ago, we were on tour someplace, and onstage the temperature goes up about a hundred, with all the stage lights," he said on an episode of The Doctors in 2016. "I started to get dizzy, perspire, and short of breath. So I called a doctor, and he showed up and said, 'Okay, here's what's going on. There's something called AFib,' and he went down the list. And it was a lot to take in."
"I haven't really had recurring problems, because I get lots of rest and drink lots of liquids," he added. "But am I prone to AFib? You bet." Gene is one of the founding members of the rock band KISS, best known for their eye-catching makeup looks and hits like "I Was Made for Lovin' You" and "Rock and Roll All Nite".
© Getty ImagesThe other original members included Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss. Gene and Paul are the only original members still performing in the band, alongside newer stars Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer. KISS is set to perform in mere weeks for the first time since 2023, when they retired from touring. The KISS Army Storms Vegas event will take place from November 14 to 16 in celebration of the band's 50th anniversary, and will include KISS-related activities like karaoke, trivia and a lookalike contest.
© FilmMagicAs per the press release, the event will feature "exclusive Q&A sessions with members of the band, a panel with longtime manager Doc McGhee, a special live performance from former KISS member Bruce Kulick, along with sets from KISS tribute bands, other special guests, interactive activities, exclusive experiences and more."
© Getty Images for Live NationFormer KISS member Ace Frehley is also battling health issues, and recently canceled the remaining dates of his 2025 tour due to "ongoing medical issues" after a fall that led to his hospitalization.
