Rob Laakso, a longtime guitarist and multi-instrumentalist in Kurt Vile & the Violators and Swirlies, died this past Thursday (May 4), his wife Mamie-Claire Cornelius confirmed in an Instagram post, according to Pitchfork.
Laakso was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma, a rare and aggressive form of bile duct cancer. “You are the light of my life and the only slightest sliver of peace I have is that you are no longer in pain. We’ll be dreaming of you every night until we see you again,” wrote Cornelius. He was 44.
“After praying for a miracle every day since he was diagnosed my prayers recently changed to a peaceful home departure surrounded by love. I realize now every day we had together was a miracle,” Cornelius wrote in an update on GoFundMe to cover costs of Laakso’s cancer treatment. “I’m also trying to remember for myself and as an example to carry out to our children how much Rob loved life, he was always busy with a new project to better himself, writing a new song, ready for an adventure, eager to try a new restaurant, go for a hike, take a sauna - so please go live life and try something new for him when you feel an ache creeping in. Go make the most of it; he pushed through so much just to sit and bask in the joy of our children running through bubbles in the backyard… that was absolute living to him in our most recent days. It doesn’t have to be grand, just enjoy the present deeply.”
