Eddie Van Halen Fans Remember Rocker on What Would Have Been His 66th Birthday

Eddie Van Halen would have been 66 years old on Tuesday, and fans of the late rocker are taking to social media to remember and memorialize him on his birthday. Van Halen was born Edward Lodewijk Van Halen on Jan. 26, 1955, in Amsterdam, Netherlands. When he was around 7 years old, he moved with his family to Pasadena, California. Van Halen eventually picked up the guitar and, with his drummer brother Alex, would go on start a band — named Van Halen after themselves — with singer David Lee Roth and bass player Michael Anthony.

Over the band’s epic and tumultuous 46-year career, they delivered a number of multi-platinum-selling records, won numerous awards, and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of fame. Eddie Van Halen is widely considered to be one of the greatest and most groundbreaking guitarists of all-time. Sadly, in October, it was reported that the 65-year-old had passed away after a long battle with cancer. Now, on what would have been his 66th birthday, his fans are sharing posts on Twitter to honor his memory. Scroll down to check out some of the heartfelt posts.

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Van Halen’s son, Wolfgang, was the first to confirm the death, issuing a statement through social media. “I can’t believe I’m having to write this, but my father, Edward Lodewijk Van Halen, has lost his long and arduous battle with cancer this morning,” he wrote.

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“He was the best father I could ever ask for,” Wolf added Every moment I’ve shared with him on and off stage was a gift.” Wolf had been the current bass player for Van Halen, which he has since announced is over, due to his father’s death.

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“My heart is broken and I don’t think I’ll ever fully recover from this loss.” Wolf concluded his statement by saying, “I love you so much, Pop.”

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In November, Wolf debuted a new song, titled “Distance,” from his new musical project, Mammoth WVH. The tune is dedicated to the memory of his father, and Wolf released a music video for the song which featured old home movies of his late dad.

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“As my pop continued to struggle with various health issues, I was imagining what my life would be like without him and how terribly I’d miss him,” Wolf wrote in a statement to his fans. “While the song is incredibly personal, I think anyone can relate to the idea of having a profound loss in their life, I never intended ‘Distance’ to be the very first piece of music people would hear from me, but I also thought my father would be here to celebrate its release. This is for him.”

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During a subsequent interview with Carson Daly on the TODAY show, Wolf spoke candidly about how he’s been handling his father’s death. “It’s really tough,” he shared. “Some days are better than others.”

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“It doesn’t seem like the pain is ever really gonna go away,” Wolfgang went on to say. “You just kinda figure out how to carry it a bit better.”