On Monday January 13th - Alfredo Garcia passed away.

This picture was him on a trip to Viet Nam in late October 2024.



The club mourns this tragic sudden loss of a very dear, long term, devoted member, leader, friend and Communications Coordinator who always managed to find a way to share content with us that brightened our day. And in the good old days of the printed bicycletter, a whole MONTH at a time.

There will be a viewing for those who can attend in person, and a Zoom for those who wish to join that way. (Details will be provided her by Thursday night). Club President Allan Friedman has been asked to give a Eulogy on behalf of the club. Anyone else who wishes to speak, should reach out to Gia Tran to let her know. Also, please  let Allan know as he will be coordinating the 5BBC speakers for Gia at the memorial service. Zoom link will be published here Thursday night after it is confirmed with the Funeral Home. 

The Eulogy will be pasted into this article. If you would like to have a short snippet read aloud on your behalf, with your name or anonymously - please please please email it to president@5bbc.org If you'd like to share a favorite picture, we will find a way to work those in if not at the memorial then somehow linked to this article in the future. Alfredo was our photo montage developer extraordinaire at every holiday party in recent memory. His family would surely appreciate hearing of the impact he had on your lives!

For those who want to know what happened.... As recently as late October - Alfredo was vibrant and enjoying at trip to Viet Nam. Over the last 7 weeks, he had contracted an illness known as CJD.

We are listing a few details about this voracious rare illness so that you can understand why Alfredo did not want visitors and asked that his situation be kept private.

CJD, or Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, is a rare and fatal neurodegenerative disorder that affects the brain. It belongs to a group of conditions known as prion diseases, which are caused by the abnormal folding of prion proteins in the brain. These misfolded proteins damage brain cells, leading to rapid mental and physical decline.

Symptoms

CJD progresses rapidly, with symptoms typically worsening over weeks to months. These may include:

• Early Symptoms:
  • Memory loss.
  • Personality changes.
  • Lack of coordination or balance.
  • Visual disturbances.
• Later Symptoms:
  • Severe mental impairment (dementia).
  • Muscle stiffness and spasms.
  • Difficulty speaking or swallowing.
  • Coma.

Prevention

Prevention strategies depend on the type of CJD:

• Avoiding consumption of potentially contaminated meat products (for vCJD).
• Strict sterilization protocols in medical settings.
• Screening of tissue and organ donations.

CJD is a devastating disease that underscores the importance of prion research to better understand, prevent, and treat these conditions.

If you'd like to learn more about this illness - please use chat GPT which will include and expand on the above.

But now let's remember Alfredo during happier times.

1) A dozen years ago (2012) he was honored by then President Ed Pino with the Golden Spoke award, given at the discretion of the President. Now if Ed Pino says you are worthy of the Golden Spoke - you RATE! Alfredo always gave 150%!