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Disturbing new details emerge in death of Limp Bizkit bassist

Shocking new details have emerged following the sudden death of Limp Bizkit bassist and co-founder Sam Rivers earlier this month.

Rivers, who passed away at the age of 48 on Saturday, Oct. 18, reportedly died in the bathroom of his Florida home, according to an incident report obtained by TMZ on Thursday.

The report revealed that a deputy from the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Department in St. Augustine said a caller identified only as Keely informed police that she found the musician face down in his bathroom just before she dialed 911.

Sam Rivers of Limp Bizkit performs onstage at KROQ Weenie Roast & Luau at Doheny State Beach on June 08, 2019 in Dana Point, California.
Sam Rivers of Limp Bizkit performing at Doheny State Beach in Dana Point, California, on June 8, 2019. Getty Images for KROQ
Sam Rivers and Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit perform at Brixton Academy on May 29, 2012 in London, England.
Rivers and Fred Durst perform at Brixton Academy in London, England, on May 29, 2012. WireImage

Keely went on to tell the emergency dispatchers that she discovered Rivers in a pool of blood and performed CPR, according to the 911 call audio obtained by the outlet.

The deputy confirmed that they also performed CPR upon arriving at the musician’s home until St. Johns County Fire Rescue arrived at the scene and pronounced him dead, per the incident report.

They added that Rivers appeared to have a cut above his eye, which they suggested was a possible result of a fall from the toilet.

Sam Rivers of Limp Bizkit performs on stage circa 1999.
Rivers performing during a Limp Bizkit concert circa 1999. Redferns

The Limp Bizkit co-founder’s face and neck were said to be dark blue while the rest of his body was flushed, which the authorities noted in their report is common during instances of pulmonary embolism.

A small amount of coagulated blood was also said to be found in the bathroom where he died, and Keely reportedly told the deputies that Rivers had a liver transplant in 2018 which he was prescribed several different medications to treat.

The nu metal bassist’s official cause of death, meanwhile, remains unclear.

Sam Rivers of Limp Bizkit performs live on the Main stage during the third and final day of Reading Festival on August 29, 2010 in Reading, England.
Rivers performing at the Reading Festival in Reading, England, on Aug. 29, 2010. Getty Images
Fred Durst (L) and Sam Rivers (R) from the US band "Limp Bizkit" perform on stage at the Estéreo Picnic Festival in Bogotá on March 21, 2024.
Durst and Rivers performing at the Estéreo Picnic Festival in Bogotá, Colombia, on March 21, 2024. AFP via Getty Images

The Post has reached out to the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office for comment.

Limp Bizkit, which was founded by Rivers and Fred Durst in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1994, announced the beloved bassist’s shocking passing in an Instagram post on Oct. 18.

“Today we lost our brother. Our bandmate. Our heartbeat,” the nu metal band began. “Sam Rivers wasn’t just our bass player — he was pure magic. The pulse beneath every song, the calm in the chaos, the soul in the sound.”

Sam Rivers, Fred Durst and Wes Borland of Limp Bizkit perform onstage at KROQ Weenie Roast & Luau at Doheny State Beach on June 08, 2019 in Dana Point, California.
Rivers, Durst and Wes Borland performing at Doheny State Beach in Dana Point, California, on June 8, 2019. Getty Images for KROQ
Sam Rivers, Fred Durst, DJ Lethal, Wes Borland and John Otto at the Park Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles on Feb. 21, 2000.
Rivers, Durst, DJ Lethal, Borland and John Otto at the Park Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles on Feb. 21, 2000. Getty Images

“From the first note we ever played together, Sam brought a light and a rhythm that could never be replaced,” the “Break Stuff” rockers continued. “His talent was effortless, his presence unforgettable, his heart enormous.”

Signed by his bandmates Durst, Wes Borland, John Otto and DJ Lethal, the group went on to remember Rivers as a “once-in-a-lifetime kind of human” and a “true legend of legends.”

“His spirit will live forever in every groove, every stage, every memory,” they added. “We love you, Sam. We’ll carry you with us, always.”

Sam Rivers of Limp Bizkit performs onstage at KROQ Weenie Roast & Luau at Doheny State Beach on June 08, 2019 in Dana Point, California.
Rivers onstage at Doheny State Beach in Dana Point, California, on June 8, 2019. Getty Images for KROQ

“Rest easy, brother,” Durst, Borland, Otto and Lethal concluded their tribute. “Your music never ends.”

Although Rivers served as the “Take a Look Around” group’s original bassist, he briefly departed the band in 2015 for what he later revealed was liver disease caused by alcohol abuse.

The “Truth” bassist rejoined the Grammy-nominated band in 2018 and remained a key member of the group until his death. He performed his last concert with Limp Bizkit at the Leeds Festival in the UK in August.