Neil Peart, the legendary drummer of the iconic rock band Rush, has been a prominent figure in the music world for nearly 50 years. He played a pivotal role in shaping the band’s distinctive prog-rock sound after taking over the drumming duties from the band’s original drummer, John Rutsey. Since 1974, Neil Peart has been a cornerstone of Rush, garnering multiple Grammy and Juno award nominations and embarking on numerous unforgettable tours.
A Father’s Love
In late 1996, Rush embarked on a tour in support of their album “Test for Echo.” After completing the final performance in Ottawa, Ontario, Neil Peart made his way back to his hometown, Toronto. At the time, his only daughter, Selena Taylor, was 19 years old and preparing to start college. Neil Peart, known as a devoted family man, wanted to be there to see her off on this new chapter of her life.
A Family Man with Roots
According to Ultimate Classic Rock, Neil Peart was raised by two loving and supportive parents who wholeheartedly embraced his dream of becoming a drummer. They even matched his part-time earnings to help him travel to England for drumming studies. Later, when he joined forces with Rush members Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, Peart started his own family. He settled down with his common-law wife, Jacqueline Taylor. The couple welcomed their daughter, Selena Peart Taylor, into the world in 197At that time, the three of them were reported to be a content, harmonious family. However, tragedy would soon shatter their world.
A Heart-Wrenching Accident
As documented by MTV News, on August 10, 1997, Neil Peart embarked on a motorcycle ride with his daughter, Selena, who was driving her own vehicle. Their destination was a gas station in Hawkesbury, Ontario, and Peart described this journey in his book, “Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road.” While Selena successfully reached the gas station, a devastating incident unfolded. On that fateful day, a single-car accident occurred as Selena’s Jeep rolled over on Highway 401, somewhere between Toronto and Montreal. Tragically, this accident claimed the life of 19-year-old Selena, who was the only child of Jackie and Neil.
Unbearable Loss
The news of this horrendous accident had a profound impact on the couple. Ultimate Classic Rock reports that the aftermath of Selena’s death took an immense toll on Jacqueline, who suffered a severe emotional breakdown. Tragically, just ten months later, Jacqueline lost her battle with cancer. Neil Peart believed that her passing was a result of a broken heart. The loss of their daughter left him contemplating taking his own life, as he grappled with immense grief and sorrow.
“In the days following Selena’s death, I had learned for myself how a sunny day could actually seem dark, the sun totally wrong, and how the world around me, the busy lives of all those oblivious strangers, could seem so futile and unreal — as futile and unreal as what passed for my own life,” wrote Peart in his memoir. “It was hard for me to accept that fate could be so unjust, that other people’s lives should remain unscarred by the kind of evil that had been visited upon me.”
The tragedy of losing their only child, Selena, was a heart-wrenching chapter in the life of Neil Peart and Jacqueline Taylor. It serves as a poignant reminder of the profound impact of loss and the enduring love of a father for his daughter, even in the face of unimaginable sorrow.
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