Famed MTV VJ, Radio Host Alive After Being in Coma: “I Was Unresponsive for Two Months”

Since the 1980s, Matt Pinfield explored the entertainment industry as he dabbled in careers as a disc jockey, music executive, and even television host. He eventually landed on MTV as a video jockey. He worked for MTV on the show 120 Minutes during the 1990s. He returned in 2011 as the show moved to MTV2. Having shared his love for music over the decades, tragedy struck in January 2025 when Pinfield suffered a stroke. Ending up in a coma, the music executive offered a surprising update to fans. 

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Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Pinfield recalled the last few months of his life and how he struggled to survive. Suffering a stroke, battling pneumonia, and needing to be put on a ventilator, the future appeared bleak for Pinfield, but now – he declared, “Guys, I’m alive. I’m recovering and am going to come back swinging. I was unresponsive for two months. Friends were thinking they were coming to see me for the last time. The doctors never expected me to speak or to walk again.” 

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Thankfully, Pinfield’s daughter, Jessica, never gave up on him as she gained temporary guardianship. Able to have a say in his treatment, the VJ insisted, “She’s the one who saved my life. She protected me.” 

Shocked by Pinfield waking up, he recalled how amazed his friends were when speaking with him after the coma. “My friends said I went on about ‘A Whiter Shade of Pale’ and how they couldn’t keep up with what I was saying. They were, like, ‘Yeah, he’s still got that brain.’”

While staying silent over the months to focus on his recovery, Pinfield gained a great deal of support from fans. Even Shirley Manson, of the band Garbage, shared a touching message about the impact Pinfield had on bands and singers. “He has championed so many artists over the decades who would have otherwise been ignored by mainstream media and the American music scene would be very different indeed without his taste and influence. If it wasn’t for Matt, our band wouldn’t even exist. He was our fairy godmother.”

Looking forward to getting back to work, Pinfield promised he would find his way to the radio once again.

(Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)