Blink-182 legend Mark Hoppus almost GAVE UP as he was DYING from cancer.
“It got really dark,” he said in a New York Times interview, recounting a conversation with his wife Skye, with whom he has a 22-year-old son, Jack, a video game designer. “We were sitting in our kitchen and I was dying — the medication, the chemo, was just so gnarly,” he recalled. “Felt like I was being crushed between two trucks. I was like, ‘I don’t know if I can do this.’
“My wife goes, ‘What are you saying? Are you going to kill yourself?’” he continued. “And that moment really crystallized the fight for me. That was when I was like, ‘This is a losing battle, but I have to fight the fight. I can’t just give up in front of my wife and son.’”
In April 2021, Mark Hoppus, bassist and co-founder of Blink-182, was diagnosed with stage IV-A diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, an aggressive form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The cancer had spread to multiple areas of his body, requiring immediate and intensive treatment. Hoppus underwent several rounds of chemotherapy, which he described as “brutal,” leading to severe fatigue and cognitive side effects commonly referred to as “chemo brain.”
Throughout his battle, Hoppus leaned on the support of family, friends, and fans. His mother, who had previously survived the same type of cancer, served as a powerful source of inspiration during his treatment. In September 2021, after months of chemotherapy, Hoppus shared the news that he was officially cancer-free.
Recovery brought its own challenges. The chemotherapy had taken a toll on his vocal cords and physical strength, and Hoppus had to relearn how to play bass guitar. His journey inspired new music, including the emotionally charged song “You Don’t Know What You’ve Got,” released on Blink-182’s 2023 album One More Time…
Hoppus’s diagnosis also helped repair relationships, notably rekindling his friendship with Tom DeLonge, leading to the classic Blink-182 lineup reuniting. As of 2025, Hoppus remains cancer-free and active in music.
