David Johansen, former lead singer for the New York Dolls, has
Johansen died on Friday (February 28) at his home, according to a family spokesperson.
The punk icon revealed his battle with stage four in February 2025, after suffering a brain tumour when the disease progressed in 2020.
His stepdaughter Leah Hennessey as she urged them to donate to a fundraiser for the rock legend’s care.
She said: “Five years ago at the beginning of the pandemic we discovered that David’s cancer had progressed and he had a brain tumor.
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David Johansen has sadly died (Image: Getty)
“There have been complications ever since. He’s never made his diagnosis public, as he and my mother Mara are generally very private people, but we feel compelled to share this now, due to the increasingly severe financial burden our family is facing.”
The family were hit by further tragedy when David fell downstairs in November 2024 and broke his back in two places, leaving him “bedridden and incapacitated”.
She added: “Due to the trauma, David’s illness has progressed exponentially and my mother is caring for him around the clock.
He was best known as the lead singer for the New York Dolls (Image: Getty)
“To continue his treatment and give him the best chance of recovery, David and Mara will need full time assistance. As hilarious and wise as David continues to be, he is physically debilitated and his care exceeds what we are capable of providing without specialised professional help.
“Our most immediate needs are full time nursing, physical therapy and funding for day to day vital living expenses. With professional specialized care, we are hopeful that David can regain some mobility and independence,” Hennessey said.
David is best known as the lead singer of proto-punk band the New York Dolls, as well as releasing music under the alias Buster Poindexter.
The star also delved into acting, becoming revered for his role as the Ghost of Christmas Past in Scrooged back in 1988. He also stared in Bill Murray’s special S Very Murray Christmas – and his legs appeared in John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s 1971 film Up Your Legs Forever.