Yesterday (Nov. 13) marked the three-year anniversary of one of the most tragic events in music history. Eagles of Death Metal frontman Jesse Hughes planned to travel to France for the three-year anniversary of the Le Bataclan shooting, but was unable to fly after suffering a concussion from being hit by a car.

In 2015, a terrorist mob killed 90 people during an Eagles of Death Metal show at Le Bataclan. It was part of a larger attack on Paris, which left an additional 40 people dead and hundreds more injured. The ordeal propelled Hughes to return to France for the first and second anniversary of the massacre, but an accident left the musician unable to return in 2018.

Hughes wrote in French, with the English translation stating, “Today is November 13 … in this day for the last three years, I was with my brothers and sisters in Paris, France and I planned for this year to be no different. .. I bought my ticket and I was ready to leave … But I took a ride on my bike and I was hit from behind and thrown head in the car in front of me … [I] do not wanting nothing to interfere with my impending trip to Paris, I played it as if I was not hurt …. a day later, on my way to San Diego to see Morrissey I fell into the effects of a concussion and had to go to the emergency room … I was examined and diagnosed with a deep whiplash and said that I could not fly for five days … at the time, it seemed like a reasonable logic .. and of course, I knew that everyone would understand … but I made a mistake, I should be there with you, I do not I should not be here right now … I made a big mistake! I should have boarded the plane because … I do not know where to be right now … I do not know where I’m supposed to be … except with you in Paris."

He continued, "I love you and I am bound to you by blood and I should be with you and it will be the biggest mistake I ever made … I do not know if I am right or wrong, but it feels like I let the wrong people beat me a bit … and I think I should be there with you and I made a very big mistake and I hope you can forgive me for not being there right now … My absence is tearing me up I have never felt like that before. I am here and nobody understands me … you do not!!! I need to be with you and I made a big mistake if someone has a chance and you see the mayor of Paris and the President of France do you want to give them a hug for me and inform them that I love them and that their leadership and her kindness and your demonstration of love so deeply influenced me and that I’m sorry for not being there, I’m so sorry my friends …. I think I’m writing this in French because I really do not know what to do. I do not know.”

Hughes received notable backlash after stating Le Bataclan security may have been in on the terrorist attacks — a statement he later apologized for.