Rocker BRET MICHAELS has sent a public message of support to his longtime tour bus driver after learning of his family heartache.

The Poison frontman took to his website on Tuesday (11Dec12) to ask fans to pray for Eddie, who had to leave the singer's current North American tour to return home after receiving two pieces of terrible news.

He writes, "Our thoughts and prayers go out to one of my long time bus drivers, Eddie who as he was trudging through the snow in the Dakotas working on getting us to Canada learned that his mother suffered a stroke, then 10 minutes later found out that his son-in-law had passed away from a heart attack. Please keep Eddie and his family in your thoughts. Thank you".

It's the latest sad news Michaels has had to deal with - he is mourning the loss of his make-up artist pal Jacob Yebale, who died in the same Mexican plane crash which claimed the life of Latin singer Jenni Rivera on Sunday (09Dec12).