Drummer and founding member of Canadian prog-rockers Rush, John Rutsey, has died, aged 55. Rutsey played with the band from 1968 to 1974, appearing on their eponymous debut album. However, he was forced to quit due to a lifelong diabetes-related illness. Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson said that Rutsey had become a fitness fanatic after leaving the band, and that the pair had remained in contact until the 90s.
According to his family, via an obituary printed in the Toronto Star, Rutsey's death was caused by "complications from his lifelong affliction with diabetes". News reports on the matter have claimed that he died from a heart attack in his sleep, which would make sense, given that diabetes can lead to exactly that that sort of complication.