Former Grateful Dead keyboardist Tom Constanten has appealed to his followers for support as he battles his health and medical bills.
A GoFundMe has been launched by the 81-year-old, who was a member of the iconic band from 1968 to 1970.
Constanten remarked, “My involvement in the Sixties parties did not bring me an abundance of wealth and fame, unlike some of my friends and acquaintances.” Perhaps a few moments of celebrity, but money was hard to come by. And all of that was essentially erased by my taxman adventure from 25 years ago.
He added that Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay on self-reliance was among the literary works that had a significant impact on him as a young man. Even in situations where asking for assistance would have been appropriate, it made me hesitant to do so. similar to the time the tax collector was working on my case, attaching my bank account and garnishing my earnings.
However, Constanten noted, he is forced to seek assistance.
“This time, circumstances have compelled my hand,” he wrote. The copays are piling up quickly at $250 each. And this is prior to the implementation of the expected Medicare cuts. X-rays, CAT scans, PET scans, MRIs, and everything else, I think, but I’m still going about my daily business.
Radiation therapy starts the following week.
He went on to say that he attributes his money to his friends, who have shown me such generosity over the years that it is beyond comprehension.
Constanten has raised almost $42,000 since the band’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.The GoFundMe can be viewed here.
