Topic: Tragic news: Rich VanKonynenburg has died suddenly
Dekrator48
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 18239
posted
This message was posted on the Phoenix rising site and Prohealth site.
Dear group members.
This post is from Rich's wife. There is no easy way to say this, and this message is very difficult for me to write.
"Rich died early this morning. It appears that he suffered a massive heart attack in his sleep. He did not have a history of heart disease, so this was sudden and quite unexpected. It doesn't seem possible to me that Rich is gone. I am at a loss to express how profoundly I will miss him (I already do!).
I am trying to figure out how to begin notifying everyone who will want to know. Please feel free to repost this message on any forum or group where people who interacted with Rich will want to know of his passing."
Diana Van Konynenburg
For anyone unfamiliar with Rich VanK, he developed the methylation protocol. He was an independent researcher. His work was vital in the CFS/ME/FM and Autism communities.
He was an important member of online message boards and readily gave of his time and expertise there.
He will be greatly missed. My condolences to his wife, Diana and his family and friends.
I will pray for his family.
I see that Rich was scheduled to speak at the ILADS conference in November 2012.
-------------------- The fibromyalgia I've had for 32 years was an undiagnosed Lyme symptom.
"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future". -Jeremiah 29:11 Posts: 6076 | From Pennsylvania, USA | Registered: Nov 2008
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BoxerMom
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25251
posted
OMG! I'm just shocked.
He was a major researcher in CFS/ME and Autism. He was also extremely active on the health boards, and I mean extremely active. He responded to anyone he thought he could help.
He had been learning about Lyme and co-infections. He had big questions about how much Lyme played a role in the illnesses he researched. ILADS would have been eye-opening for him. And his presentation on methylation would have been so useful for Lyme physicians.
Wow. It scares me when health researchers and advocates lose their lives suddenly.
Condolences to his wife and all those who have relied on his research.
This is a major loss.
If there is a Web site set up for us to express our gratitude and well-wishes, please post a link.
Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- How very, very sad, indeed.
I cannot say it better than Dekrator or BoxerMom.
While, of course, feeling for this very good man - and his family and friendship circle - it is also a huge loss to each of us in some very major ways.
As with the wonderful LL neurologist (who was one of just 2 or 3 in the whole country) this summer whom we lost in San Diego,
we will personally be greatly impacted by the loss of Rich VanKonynenburg - as a researcher, a teacher but also as wonderful person, by all accounts. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Andy Williams just left us, too. Not sure how all this works but - just maybe - along some wave out there in the wild blue yonder, Rich is getting a personal serenade of "Moon River". -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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posted
This seems really sad. I looked at his scheduled talk for the conference - on glutathione and methylation - I hope he recorded his research for others to have.
Posts: 13116 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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Dekrator48
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 18239
posted
This is the only info I have found so far, about a celebration of Rich's life:
I have not found any website set up to express our condolences, except on the posts about Rich's passing on the Prohealth site and Phoenix Rising site.
Here is a link to some info and some video of Rich's important work:
-------------------- The fibromyalgia I've had for 32 years was an undiagnosed Lyme symptom.
"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future". -Jeremiah 29:11 Posts: 6076 | From Pennsylvania, USA | Registered: Nov 2008
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posted
Thank you for letting us know ~ the video (three parts) that Dekrator48 posted looks really interesting.
Grateful for Rich's dedication to helping so many. My deepest condolences to his family ~
Posts: 164 | From North America | Registered: Mar 2009
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posted
I just saw this thread here now, but I wanted to make note that there is going to be a phone memorial service for Rich soon -- it has yet to be arranged as I understand -- to honor his life. So if anyone sees the information please post, and I will if I remember when it comes out.
He was so wonderful to so many patients.
Posts: 929 | From Massachusetts | Registered: Oct 2007
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-------------------- The fibromyalgia I've had for 32 years was an undiagnosed Lyme symptom.
"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future". -Jeremiah 29:11 Posts: 6076 | From Pennsylvania, USA | Registered: Nov 2008
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poppy
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5355
posted
What an interesting man. A full life. And a kind and caring one, by all accounts. One of those people that leaves a big hole that can't be filled.
Posts: 2888 | From USA | Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
This world is missing a very special person and I pray for his family. He sounds like he was a great man, a hero, who made valuable contributions in numerous areas of his life.
Posts: 164 | From California | Registered: Aug 2009
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Dekrator48
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 18239
posted
Memorial Service details for Rich are in this link:
"Rich Van Konynenburg Phone Memorial Sun Nov 18, All Invited"
-------------------- The fibromyalgia I've had for 32 years was an undiagnosed Lyme symptom.
"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future". -Jeremiah 29:11 Posts: 6076 | From Pennsylvania, USA | Registered: Nov 2008
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posted
Here are more details on the Rich Van K. phone-in memorial. Hope many can attend to celebrate the life of this wonderful man and researcher/advocate.
Please forward widely
All are invited to the
ME/CFS, Lyme and MCS community's
Memorial Service
for
Rich Van Konynenburg
on
November 18, 2012
== What When Where ==
WHAT: Memorial Service for Rich Van Konynenburg, researcher and leader in the ME/CFS, Lyme and MCS communities.
WHEN: Sunday, November 18, 2012. At 2 pm EST USA; 11 am PST USA; 7 pm London/GMT. We'll end the memorial after everyone who wants to share has had a chance.
WHO: Especially welcome are those from the ME/CFS, Lyme and MCS communities. However, this is also open to anyone anywhere who wants to join us in remembering and honoring Rich.
WHERE: This memorial service will be held as a telephone conference call. Call in using a landline telephone, mobile phone or computer phone. So even if you are bedridden in California, the UK, Australia or anywhere, you should be able to join us if you can use a phone to call the USA.
HOW: The conference call dial-in phone number is: 805-399-1000. When prompted, key in the Participant Access Code: 997436#. The call will cost the normal fees associated with a long distance phone call to the USA, and no more.
INTERNATIONAL CALLERS: Consider using an international calling card. Or if you have Skype, go to your Skype account and click on "Call phones" and it will allow you to pay for the call. If you do not have Skype, you can download a free account at Skype.com.
There, read how to buy Skype credit for making outgoing calls (that you would pay for). Or read how to buy Skype "Pay As You Go" minutes. Do all this prior to the day of the memorial service.
After you select one of these options, on the day of the memorial service you will dial in to the conference call by using the same phone number (805-399-1000) and the same Participant Access Code (997436#) as listed above.
NOTE: Calling from your mobile phone to join the USA conference call may be much more expensive for international Skype users than calling from a landline phone. Plan accordingly.
PLEASE SHARE: On the call, you will have an opportunity to "raise your hand" to indicate you wish to speak. Please keep your sharing to under two minutes, so all who wish to share can do so.
RSVP: There is no need to tell us you are attending, just come!
On Sunday, November 18, 2012, please join members of the ME/CFS, Lyme and MCS communities in saying "Thank you; We love you; Goodbye," to our beloved community leader, Rich Van Konynenburg.
We will be joined by Rich's wife, Diana; Dr. Neil Nathan, who worked with Rich on his Simplified Methylation Protocol; and Dr. Derek Enlander, who has known Rich for over a decade -- as have many of us.
Together, as a community, we will gather to grieve, mourn and begin to heal from this deeply felt loss. And the loss is substantial.
Rich was a well-known community leader, a man who posted thousands of health and research related messages on the various ME/CFS, Lyme and MCS forums and listservs -- all about trying to help us, to alleviate our suffering, to make our lives better.
Rich was the most accessible researcher we ever had, unfailingly answering our thousands of questions and concerns, not just because this was an intriguing scientific puzzle but because he cared about us.
His wife Diana recently described how his large office overflows with papers, spilling out into the next room. Many of those stacks of papers are our test results that he tirelessly analyzed for us, without asking for anything in return, just so he could help us understand complicated situations and decide complex next steps in recovering our health.
Diana describes how Rich would come to the dinner table at night and talk about his research discoveries and understandings, and how he'd be so happy when he could make our lives a bit better -- and how he'd be deeply sad when he witnessed our suffering.
He would weep when we wept, he would rejoice when he could help us. And there are many people he did help, both through his scientific analysis and his compassion.
Join us at this memorial service to tell us what Rich meant to you. Share your memories and personal stories of Rich, and read excerpts from emails/posts he sent you.
This small act of sharing will help all of us grieve our loss and allow the healing to begin.
Posts: 929 | From Massachusetts | Registered: Oct 2007
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![[Frown]](frown.gif)
just awful!!
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