Steve Harwell’s Cause of Death: Acute Liver Failure, Explained

Several conditions are also risk factors for acute liver failure, Johns Hopkins adds, including hepatitis, Wilson’s disease, cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, and herpes simplex virus. Hayes called Harwell a «true American original,» and said he should be remembered for his unwavering focus and determination to reach the heights of pop stardom. The fact that Harwell did that with limited musical experience, he said, makes his achievements all the more remarkable.

The band’s manager had earlier said Harwell was in the final stages of liver failure and was receiving end of life care at his home. The Mayo Clinic says you can also reduce your risk of acute liver failure through prevention, including following instructions on medications, reducing alcohol consumption and getting vaccinated for hepatitis A and B. Treatment for acute liver failure differs based on the underlying cause, the Johns Hopkins website notes, but may include options such as measures to counteract overdoses or medicine to treat underlying conditions. For example, if someone took too much acetaminophen, doctors have medications available to help counter the toxicity. There can be multiple causes of acute liver failure, including an overdose of how to flush alcohol from urine a common medicine. Harwell succumbed to liver failure at his home in Boise, Idaho, where he had been receiving hospice care, the band’s manager Robert Hayes told PEOPLE.

Steve Harwell, the former lead singer of Smash Mouth, has died at 56

1. LOS ANGELES (AP) — Steve Harwell, the longtime frontman of the Grammy-nominated pop rock band Smash Mouth that was behind the megahit “All Star” has died.
2. The musician reportedly helped to set up a medical research fund in his son’s name.
3. Steve Harwell, former lead vocalist of the rock band Smash Mouth, is in hospice care, USA TODAY has learned.
4. Once the liver fails, kidney failure and neurologic dysfunction might follow.
5. People with a history of alcohol use disorder are more likely to develop the condition.
6. The artist, whose band is best known for the 1999 hit «All Star,» had been in hospice care, according to representative Robert Hayes.

Doctors are typically able to decide whether or not a patient is a transplant candidate — and, if so, get them listed for a transplant — within a day, Lucero says. The challenge with acute liver failure patients, though, is that they «have to be able to agree to take lifelong immune suppression to prevent rejection of the organ,» Lucero explains. If someone gets diagnosed with acetaminophen-induced acute liver failure, «there is an antidote to give,» Lucero says. «And if it’s given early enough, it can help avoid the need for a liver transplant.» Patients may also receive a special form of continual dialysis, which can help decrease the amount of ammonia in their body, she adds.

He made a cameo in 2001 comedy film “Rat Race,” and had a well-documented friendship with the Food Network chef and host Guy Fieri. Although the condition is «extremely rare,» Lucero says, it’s also always an emergency. It occurs when, all of a sudden, the liver just stops working in somebody who has no known liver condition, Lucero says. Best known for the 1999 hit «All Star,» Harwell’s «iconic voice is one of the most recognizable voices from his generation. He loved the fans and loved to perform,» the statement said.

Smash Mouth frontman Steve Harwell, known for the ubiquitous pop-rock hit ‘All Star,’ dies at 56

The band’s manager, Robert Hayes, said Harwell “passed peacefully and comfortably” Monday morning surrounded by family and friends at his home in Boise, Idaho. Former Smash Mouth lead singer Steve Harwell died celebrities drinking alcohol Monday at age 56 from acute liver failure. The artist, whose band is best known for the 1999 hit «All Star,» had been in hospice care, according to representative Robert Hayes. Harwell issued a statement saying he needed to work on longstanding physical and mental health issues.

Harwell later developed Wernicke’s encephalopathy, a sudden brain and memory disorder that’s caused by a lack of vitamin B1, which causes brain damage, the Cleveland Clinic explains. People with a history of alcohol use disorder are more likely to develop the condition. In many cases, though, a liver transplant is the only effective option. «The way we distinguish between the two is largely based on history,» she explains. That means «knowing whether they had a chronic ongoing liver injury or confirming that they’ve never had any liver injury, but now come in with a new situation where their liver’s not working.»

In a statement to USA TODAY, Harwell’s reps then revealed that the frontman had been battling health issues for the past eight years stemming from his diagnosis with cardiomyopathy. TMZ, which was the first outlet to report the news, reported Harwell has «reached the final stage of liver failure» due to alcohol abuse throughout his life. People who have certain long-term medical issues, or who currently or previously consumed an excessive amount of alcohol are at higher risk for liver failure, Cleveland Clinic says. But with acute liver failure, liver function deteriorates much more quickly, usually over days or weeks, the Mayo Clinic says. The band’s manager, Robert Hayes, said the cause of death was acute liver failure.

Smash Mouth frontman Steve Harwell dies at 56

Upon his retirement, the singer said he “dreamed of being a rock star” since he was a kid and thanked his bandmates. The Grammy-nominated band, which formed in 1994 in San Jose, Calif., and scored hits like “Walkin’ on the Sun” and “All Star,” had to postpone several shows in 2017 as Harwell underwent heart treatment. The following year a show in Memphis was cancelled after he had trouble breathing during the soundcheck. And in 2018 he became ill mid-show in Australia and had to leave the stage — the band carried on without him. Harwell suffered a personal tragedy in 2001 when his new-born son Presley died from complications from acute lymphocytic leukaemia.

In this situation, a patient «may have underlying long-standing chronic liver disease or cirrhosis,» Kushner explains, and then an infection or other issue «on top of that leads to liver failure.» Steve Harwell died from acute liver failure, his band’s manager told NBC News. With chronic liver disease, people may lose their liver function slowly, often over a period of many years — even decades, Kushner explains. Chronic liver failure, also called decompensated liver vanderburgh house disease, can cause symptoms like nausea, vomiting, fatigue, diarrhea and loss of appetite, the Cleveland Clinic says. Over time, the symptoms may become more severe as the disease advances. Steve Harwell, former lead singer for rock band Smash Mouth, died at age 56 on Sept. 4, 2023, due to acute liver failure.