Former Snot and Sevendust guitarist Sonny Mayo is currently recovering after surviving a recent heart attack that required emergency triple bypass surgery. To help support the musician and his family during this critical healing period, a Meal Train fundraising campaign has been organized.
The campaign, launched by organizer Megan Wright, aims to ease the daily burden on Mayo and his partner, Lara. Wright shared the following message regarding his condition:
“Our dear friend Sonny suffered a heart attack and had a life saving triple bypass surgery. Please support Lara and Sonny while he recovers over the next couple months. The first month home will be full time care taking for Lara and will be the highest risk for infections and sickness so bringing meals to them will support his recovery tremendously! If you can’t bring a meal please continue to cover them in prayer!”
A triple bypass, or coronary artery bypass graft, is a major medical procedure where surgeons utilize blood vessels from other areas of the patient’s body to reroute blood flow around three damaged or blocked arteries leading to the heart.
Unfortunately, Mayo has battled severe cardiovascular health issues for several years. In 2018, he was officially diagnosed with a genetic coronary artery disease after enduring two previous heart attacks. Struggling with severe side effects from traditional heart medications, the guitarist sought alternative treatments. After hearing about it on a Joe Rogan podcast, he successfully crowdsourced funds via GoFundMe in 2019 to travel to Panama for stem cell therapy, a procedure that was not legally available in the United States at the time.
On the musical front, Mayo recently stepped away from the reactivated lineup of Snot in April 2025, just three months after the group played its first comeback show. At the time, Snot guitarist Mikey Doling explained the departure, stating that Mayo “decided to quit Snot” because “Snot doesn’t fit into his life right now, and he just wants to focus on himself and his life. And Snot just too busy for him to be able to continue.” His position in the band was subsequently filled by Doc Coyle (God Forbid, Bad Wolves).
Prior to his recent work, Mayo famously spent three years as a member of Sevendust. His tenure ended abruptly in March 2008, when he was let go just one week before the release of the band’s studio album, Chapter VII: Hope & Sorrow, making way for the return of original guitarist Clint Lowery. During his time with the Atlanta-based group, Mayo contributed to three full-length records: Next (2005), Alpha (2007), and the aforementioned Chapter VII: Hope & Sorrow (2008).
