Neil Peart's Brother Danny Dies from Same Form of Cancer

The Rush drummer lived with glioblastoma for over three years prior to his death in 2020

Photo: ceedub13

BY Megan LaPierrePublished Mar 18, 2025

Over the weekend, it was revealed that late, great Rush drummer Neil Peart's brother, Danny Peart, has also died of glioblastoma — the same rare, aggressive form of brain cancer that Neil died of in 2020.

The news was shared in the Peart Family Events Facebook group by Nancy Peart Burkholder, Neil and Danny's sister. "On this dreary Sunday it is with great sadness that we share that this past Thursday [March 13] evening we lost our third Peart man and 2nd brother, Danny, after his year and a half battle with glioblastoma (brain cancer)," she wrote.

Peart Burkholder continued of Danny, "As a human, his motto was 'be kind.' You wouldn't find a more genuine and kind soul. He was sincere and sensitive and would always find a way to help and encourage. I don't know of anyone that didn't love him and even when he didn't fully agree, he would find a way to make everyone happy with a lighthearted comment and quick laugh."

Danny Peart was an accomplished poet who had published four books: Ruined by Love, Another Mountain to Climb, Stark Naked in a Laundromat and Not Quite So Handsome. According to his sister, the family will be planting a tree for him beside their father Glen's at Lakeside Park in St. Catharines, which is also home to the Neil Peart Pavilion memorial.

Neil's bandmate Alex Lifeson recently revealed that he and Geddy Lee were "bombarded" with audition emails mere minutes after the news of the drummer's passing broke.

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