Some Sad News....

I just received the following email from the Angelman Syndrome Foundation:

It is with a deeply saddened heart that I inform you of the death of Dr. Joseph Wagstaff. Joe died early Tuesday morning during a fall while rock climbing in North Carolina. Very little information is available at this time and we will keep you informed as to any new information we may have. http://www.charlotte.com/109/story/572791.html.

Joe has done so very much to support AS families and the ASF—words cannot begin to describe how very much we will miss Joe. We have been so very privileged to know and work with Joe over these many years. Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers.

Dr. Wagstaff is the doctor previously referred to on our blog as "Dr. W." He was the doctor who responded to my email with calls to me in person, and went out of his way to call the lab that performed Joey's microarray analysis to clarify what was found. He was obviously a very kind man dedicated to helping those touched by Angelman Syndrome...he had absolutely no obligation to help us and did so out of the goodness of his heart. Coincidentally Dr. V just sent us a letter earlier this week summarizing the events of the past few months, and she had a list of follow-up items she was going to deal with. Number 5 on her list was to contact Dr. Wagstaff in person, since he was so knowledgeable and considered an expert in regards to Angelman Syndrome. How tragic that we've also lost this wonderful medical mind.

I am deeply saddened by this news. Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers.