‘It’s not my time’ is the name of a 2008 hit single by 3 Doors Down. Sadly, that has become the personal anthem of the rock band’s frontman, Brad Arnold. The band was scheduled to go on the Summer of ’99 tour starting this summer with Creed, Daughtry, and others. But the musical team had to pull out and cancel their upcoming tour dates due to a tragic development. Yet amidst these distressing times, they found a voice of support in a NASCAR veteran, Dale Earnhardt Jr.
The 26-time NASCAR Cup Series race winner is no stranger to dealing with tough times. After his father, the legendary Dale Earnhardt Sr, passed away in 2001, Dale Jr carved out a spectacular racing career by himself. As a close friend faces a challenging time right now, the veteran stood beside him.
Dale Earnhardt Jr throws his weight behind his buddy
Since 1996, 3 Doors Down has enthralled fans with its music, rising to fame with its debut album, ‘The Better Life’. ‘Kryptonite,’ which became a defining rock song of the early 2000s and has more than a billion streams on Spotify. At present, however, fans are scaling down the revelry that their favorite band entices and sending prayers. On 7th May, the lead singer of 3 Doors Down had an unfortunate piece of news to share. Brad Arnold has been diagnosed with Stage 4 kidney cancer that has spread to his lungs. According to the National Cancer Institute, clear cell renal cell carcinoma can be treated through immunotherapy and surgery to remove tumors. Although the treatment is possible, Arnold’s close friend, Dale Earnhardt Jr., is very concerned.
In a recent episode of the ‘Dale Jr Download’, the veteran racer broached his and the singer’s friendship. Dale Earnhardt Jr reflected on the first time he met with Brad Arnold: “I just wanted to mention that because we’ve been friends with Brad for a long time. I remember meeting him. I think the very first time I met him was at Treemont Music Factory. They were playing that night and we had an opportunity to chat before the show. And then, not knowing that he would be on our race cars, he would be a friend and be at my 30th and 40th birthday parties. We met similarly as you might get a chance to meet any band…Yeah, we’ve struck up a friendship that’s lasted for all these years.”
Thank you for all the memories so far. Now, I believe “ITS NOT MY TIME” is really my song. This’ll be a battle so we need our prayers warriors! Thank y’all for being the best fans in the world. We love y’all!
Brad pic.twitter.com/ZZiC25w55O
— 3 Doors Down (@3doorsdown) May 7, 2025
The five-year survival rate for kidney cancer patients is 50% to 69%. However, that rate considerably falls when the tumor is large and has spread to other parts of the body. So Dale Earnhardt Jr sent his heartfelt prayers to Arnold: “Broke my heart to hear that he’s going through that. I think not only because he is such a good friend, but because he is such a good guy. Golly, he’s the nicest guy. And he’s worked really hard to be a good person and put himself in a good place. Always appreciated him because he never kind of let the success they had change him that much. He’s still pretty grounded as an individual…We’re hoping that Brad can work hard and battle this illness, and he’s going to have tons of support.”
These times of distress call for one’s dearest friends, and clearly Dale Earnhardt Jr is such a buddy to Brad Arnold. The reason why Dale Jr is deeply impacted by it is his own family’s past.
Losing his loved one
Brad Arnold, thankfully, has a high chance of battling through it with tons of support. Not only Dale Earnhardt Jr but also other notable icons threw their weight behind him. Creed singer Scott Stapp and American singer-songwriter Gavin DeGraw poured their heartfelt wishes. At the same time, Dale Jr’s special mention on his podcast carries extra significance. His late mother, Brenda Jackson, was a notable part of the NASCAR community. Her father, NASCAR fabricator Robert Gee, built many winning cars, including one for racing legend Dale Earnhardt. She also worked as an accounting specialist for JR Motorsports, the team that her children, Dale Jr and Kelley Earnhardt Miller, founded. When her time came in 2019, she passed away due to cancer.
That may explain why Dale Earnhardt Jr is more concerned about his best friend’s diagnosis. Yet at the time of his beloved mother’s passing, Dale Jr was thankful that she did not shoulder much pain. He wrote in 2019, “I’m glad her suffering has ended and she can be at peace. She would be in tears of happiness over the words of support and remembrance she’s been shown today. Our family appreciates it as well. She will live in our hearts forever.” JR Motorsports’ statement highlighted the Iron Lady’s immense personality: “Her sarcastic musings and straightforward approach injected a brand of humor at JR Motorsports that became part of its fabric as it grew into a full-time NASCAR racing operation in 2006 and a championship-winning organization in 2014.”
Now, Dale Earnhardt Jr is praying for his best friend’s well-being. We wish Brad Arnold a speedy recovery from these tough times!
The post Dale Earnhardt Jr Heartbroken After Best Friends Cancer Revelation appeared first on EssentiallySports.