You may never meet someone who loves life more than Dick Dale. That is, in order to continue living a healthy life, the surf guitar aficionado is in an endless cycle of touring in order to afford medical bills. As if that wasn't enough to face, that's merely the surface of his problems.
In his own words, Mr. Dale is a medical mess. He currently suffers from diabetes, renal failure and a back so poor that it's a trial just to stand up. His current condition, having fought rectal cancer twice already, required the removal of part of his stomach and intestine.
Now, the musician empties his bodily waste into a colostomy bag through a stoma that is concealed underneath his clothes. At 78, these health issues should have rendered him unable to tour the country.
However, as Dale cites, if he stops touring he will die. By that he means that his medical bills, which clock in at a staggering $3,000 per month, are so high that it would be fiscally irresponsible for him to rest and recover.
As Dale explained to the Pittsburgh City Paper:
"I have to raise $3,000 every month to pay for the medical supplies I need to stay alive, and that's on top of the insurance that I pay for. The hospital says change your patch once a week. No! If you don't change that patch two times a day, the fecal matter eats through your flesh and causes the nerves to rot and they turn black, and the pain is so excruciating that you can't let anything touch it. That has happened to me because I was following the orders of the hospital."
He then concludes, "Sure, I'd love to stay home and build ships in a bottle and spend time with my wife in Hawaii but I have to perform to save my life."
Often musicians are faced with a backlash of medical bills that they are unable to pay for outside of their rigorous schedule. Unfortunately for the King of Surf Guitar, Dick Dale, he is imprisoned in a cycle of touring when he would rather spend the time he has living out the rest of his life in peace.
The best of luck to Mr. Dale.
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with Dick Dale's music in the clip below from days of better health.
