Rocker Dave Edmunds hospitalized after suffering 'major cardiac arrest,' wife says

(NEXSTAR) – Welsh rock musician Dave Edmunds, perhaps best known for his hit version of “I Hear You Knocking,” is currently recovering from a “major cardiac arrest” he suffered last week, his wife shared on social media.

Cici Edmunds, on Tuesday, said Edmunds was near death before hospital workers were able to “resurrect” him with CPR.

“He died in my arms while I desperately tried to keep him alive,” Cici Edmunds wrote in a July 29 Facebook post.

She said Edmunds was intubated and placed in the hospital’s intensive care unit.

“He very clearly has brain damage and severe memory loss,” she said. “And the risk of yet another major cardiac arrest is high. And if that occurs there is no chance for Dave.”

In her post, Cici Edmunds also asked for “as many peoples prayers and good wishes” as possible while Edmunds journey toward recovery, “if he survives.”

Cici has not shared any updates on Edmunds’ condition since last week.

Edmunds, 81, had formed the band Love Sculpture in the mid-1960s before striking out on a solo career. His cover of “I Hear You Knocking,” first recorded by Smiley Lewis, charted in multiple countries after its release in 1970. John Lennon later said he was a fan of the recording, calling Edmunds' version “one of the great records of all time” in a 1980 interview.

Edmunds continued to write and perform as a solo act, and also with his hand Rockpile, which disbanded in 1981. He retired in 2017, his friend and fellow musician Brian Setzer announced at the time.

A representative for Dave or Cici Edmunds was not immediately available to comment on his condition.