Breaking Benjamin Rocker Reveals Health Struggle

A supporting member from one of the biggest rock bands of the 00s is bowing out of their latest tour due to health struggles.

Breaking Benjamin drummer Shaun Foist had to depart the band’s current Awaken the Fallen Tour on August 28 due to complications from the autoimmune disorder Hashimoto’s. The 42-year-old rocker has been a member of the band since 2014.

He announced the news in a statement on the band’s official Instagram page.

“Friends, family, and most importantly, the fans — I’ve battled Hashimoto’s disease since 2017, facing fatigue, leg weakness, stiffness, weight changes, and overall drum playing control issues,” he wrote. “During the Awaken the Fallen Tour, I was experiencing extreme leg fatigue and complications, making drumming nearly impossible.”

The caption continued by saying that tests came back “fine,” but confirmed that the disease had a flare-up, “causing weakness and weight loss.” After speaking with his doctors and his family, he decided to “step away from the road at this time to focus on healing.”

“Please continue supporting the band and enjoying the shows. I care deeply about our legacy, and I don’t want my health to affect performances. Thank you for all the years of love and support,” he wrote, before ending the post with “I will play drums again,” with a heart emoji and an “-SF” signature.

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Friend of the band James Cassells is stepping in to play drums in Foist’s absence.

Breaking Benjamin released their first album, Saturate, in 2002. They went on to release five more albums and two compilations, with the most recent being Aurora in 2020. The band’s music has always sold well, with three multi-platinum singles and three platinum-certified albums.