Sadly, The Runaways' drummer, Sandy West, died at the early age of 47 in 2006. She had been suffering from lung cancer. According to The Hollywood Reporter, West passed away in hospice care in San Dimas, Calif.
A California girl at heart, West grew up in Huntington Beach and split time between her main hobbies, skiing and surfing. It wasn't until her grandfather gifted the young West with her first drum set that she discovered her raw gift as a formidable musician. In her post-Runaways' life, as noted by The Guardian, West never achieved the same level of fame that her former bandmates had, but she never lost her passion for drumming. Even as she went on to work in construction, West continued to play in her own band, The Sandy West Band, and would occasionally perform with former Runaways bandmate, Cherie Currie.
In an official statement, Joan Jett came out and expressed her sadness over her old friend's passing. "We shared the dream of girls playing rock and roll. Sandy was an exuberant and powerful drummer. I am overcome from the loss of my friend. I always told her we changed the world."
Cherie Currie likewise put out a statement, grieving West's death. "Sandy West loved her fans, her friends and family almost to a fault. It will never be the same for me again to step on a stage, because Sandy West was the best and I will miss her forever."
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