Original Venom guitarist Mantas (Jeff Dunn), now with Venom Inc., has revealed via Facebook that he recently underwent heart surgery. Following is his shocking update:

April 30th 2018

"A day like any other, sun is shining and myself and Anita leave the house to drive to our next village. Anita needs a new inhaler so we call into the pharmacy to collect one... that is when everything changes.

I start to experience what I can only describe as indigestion, but then the pain gets worse. I decide to go back to the car and wait but by this time the pain is unbearable. The staff of the pharmacy help me out of the car and take me back inside. An ambulance is called. On its arrival I am taken into the ambulance to be monitored and assessed. The pain is not subsiding in any way and so the the paramedics call for a doctor.
 
When the doctor arrives with a nurse I am immediately hooked up to an ECG and given the news that it appears that two valves in my heart are blocked. What happened next ranks easily as the most terrifying experience of my life.

I can remember calling Anita's name and then hearing my own voice saying 'Fucking fight! Dont you dare give up! FIGHT IT!'... and then, nothing.

I have been told that the paramedics and doctor fought for just over five minutes to bring me back... essentially I had died in the ambulance. When I was stabalised enough to be moved I was transfered to Leiria Coronary Care Unit where they attempted to introduce a stent to unblock the arteries however this was unsuccessful and so the next step was to be a double bypass.

After a couple of days under observation and all kinds of medication to keep everything on an even keel I was moved to Abrantes Cardio Thorasic Unit to await transfer to Lisbon for a double heart bypass.

I am now home resting and recuperating, taking walks and slowly building my strength up. From this day on, going through airport security will be interesting as my breast bone is clamped together with surgical steel.

There have been things which have happened during these last few weeks which I have found very hard to come to terms with, but its getting better.
I simply do not know where or how to begin to thank every single doctor, nurse or health care worker who has played some part, no matter how small, in helping me recover from this . . there is still a way to go but I remain positive.

My thanks and enduring love goes to Anita who has been with me every step of the way. My brother Tony Dolan who upon hearing the news took the first available flight to be by my side. My neighbours and friends in our wonderful village who, despite language barriers, have shown so much concern and compassion.

I will hopefully see you on a stage somewhere in the world soon my friends."

Maximum respect,

Jeff

Stay tuned with regards to Venom Inc.'s 2018 tour plans, which will most likely have to be altered to some degree in the interest of Mantas' health.