Leukemia Has Won

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Despite my best efforts over the past two and a half years, the leukemia has won. Due to liver inflammation and GvHD, the liver is too damaged to continue with treatment and there are no further options. I don’t want to spend the rest of my time in the hospital so I am choosing to remain at home where I can be comfortable with family and friends. If you want to read more about my journey through all of this, here are all of my posts with the cancer tag.

Since all of my plugins are open-source, they are free to be forked by reputable authors in the WordPress community. It would mean a lot to have my legacy go on.

I want to thank everyone who has given me moral support through these difficult times. It has meant a lot hearing all of the love and support pour in from my friends and colleagues from around the world. I have been so grateful for all of the opportunities that have been given to me in my life, professionally and personally. Automatticians have really helped me grow professionally by giving me an amazing career for the past nine years. My car friends have helped me grow socially and provided me so many good memories and life experiences. The people that I have gotten to know in the WordPress community have been very supportive as well. I am amazed by how many friends I have made and how much they have been there for me. They all have enriched my life and helped me grow as a person.

Thank you, everyone.


310 thoughts on “Leukemia Has Won”

  1. Man Alex, I’m so sorry. I dunno what else to say.

    I am really honored to have met you and eaten a burrito with you. Let Erick and I know if we can help in any way! I am praying for you man.

  2. I have not met you but I use Regenerate Thumbnails on every site I build. I can only imagine what this feels like for you. First, you are brave for sharing this with us. Second, I hope you may have some comfort in knowing you have generativity— you will be thought of and remembered by hundreds or even thousands of users of your plugins for many years. How many of us pass without this. Third, all of us will eventually follow after you — May we all do it with grace and dignity like you have. Wishing you and your family comfort and security.

  3. I’m sorry to hear this. I don’t know if I’d still be around if FinalGear wasn’t, to be honest. You built an incredible community that’s meant so much over the years. If you need anything, definitely let me know.

  8. Well shit stuff and things! I am so sorry Alex. I am grateful we got to meet you and know you even if only for a little while. You are in our thoughts and prayers.

  9. Thanks for all your contribution Alex. Though we haven’t met, you did create a lot of value for the community. A tough path to go through, wishing you more strength to you and your family.

  10. I’m so sorry Alex. I wish I had more words, but I’m gutted.

    I’ll always remember getting on the freeway after that a11n gathering at Daniel’s. On-ramps never seemed so short until then. 😁

    You’ve had such an impact on two communities, your legacy won’t be soon forgotten. If there’s anything at all that Chris or I can do, please let us know.

    ❤️

  11. I’m very sad to read this article. Your plugins helped me lot same as many WordPress users in the world. Thank you.
    Your contribution have made this world better, for sure.

  13. Though we’ve never met in person or even chatted 1:1, your impact on my career as a developer and the greater WordPress community is incalculable. Thank you for all that you’ve done, and I hope you find peace.

  14. May Peace and Love fill your mind and heart forever. There are so many of us out here who have deep gratitude for you. I hope you can stay pain free and can accept the love surrounding you.

  15. Nothing but support for you man, push on through! Whatever happens you will live in each of us and on all our sites forever

  16. My first memory of you Alex is much like the picture here ( https://alex.blog/about/my-cars/2008-dodge-viper-srt-10-convertible/img_0080/#main ) – when you grabbed Spittle and drove 3+ hours over the mountains to welcome me to Automattic in person. That gesture speaks volumes to the kind and generous heart you have. That heart and warm spirit that has touched so many people both at a8c, and in every community that has been lucky enough to have you a part of.

    Your sense of adventure to never think twice about jumping in the car and taking the scenic route for a favorite burrito, or to meet up with fellow a12s is something I have always admired about you. My family and I took the scenic route home up the gorge from Portland this weekend… because I knew that is what you would have done if given the choice. While my Subaru Outback doesn’t have quite the same pep as the Viper, I did my best to push it a bit harder around some corners too.

    Thanks for all you have done Alex – the Crawfords are thinking of you and your family. :hug:

  20. Thank you for your contribution to the communities around you. Even before I joined A8C, your WordPress plugin work was impactful during my time as a freelancer; I can’t tell you how many times Regenerate Thumbnails helped me out (and still continues to!).

    You’ve fought an honorable fight these past couple of years. I sincerely hope the remainder of your days are filled with all the love and peace you deserve.

  21. Your courage is a true inspiration. Your legacy will live and reverberate throughout time and history. May God bless you and provide peace for you and your family. My thoughts and prayers are with you Alex.

  22. I’m so sorry, Alex. You were one of the first people to ever review WordPress code I wrote (back when I worked for a WordPress.com VIP client and felt way in over my head :)). When I joined Automattic soon after that and met you at my first GM, I was struck by how kind and humble you were. You’ve left an indelible mark on my life and I won’t forget you or the contributions you’ve made that make all our lives better every day. My daughter and I are praying for you.

  23. Alex, I wish you all the strength in the world.
    Your work has been a game changer for me and is a staple-plugin…

    I can’t say much more than this: hopefully you and your family will have the most beautiful time possible.

    You’re a legend.

  24. Alex, we’ve never met, but thank you for sharing your talents, time and passion with all of us. Be at peace with your family…we’ll take it from here.

  25. My favorite part of grand meetups was hanging out with you and searching out pizza when they were serving something we didn’t like (which was often). Your Viper was an oasis where I could be myself. I’ll treasure those memories and think of you whenever I’m enjoying a slice of pizza.

  26. I’m so sorry to hear this Alex.

    Thank you for all you’ve done for WordPress, it’s community and the Open Source community as a whole!

    You are loved and will be missed!

  27. Oh, Alex. I’ve so enjoyed working with and hanging out with you over the past 8+ years. You have such a kind soul, and a mischievous wit. I hope you find peace spending time with your family. <3

  28. I’m so sorry, Alex. May the remaining days be filled with love, joy, and peace.

    Thank you so much for all you’ve done. You made a positive difference in this world.

    Godspeed. <3

  29. I’m so sorry, Alex! We never got to work closely together, but every time I did run into you at a GM, you were always so friendly. I was using your plugins long before joining Automattic, and will never forget how proud I felt when I was told that you had complimented one of the themes I had worked on during my trial. I was thinking at the time, wow, that’s THE Viper007bond, the one who wrote all of those wonderful plugins! It’s clear that you have impacted the lives of so many, and your impact has been for the best. I wish you and your family peace and love.

  30. Alex, I will be forever grateful for you help testing strange behavior on Windows 7 machines. When I’d run into a nuanced bug and have no way of figuring out the next steps, you were often the first person to offer to test or help me find someone who could. With all the code you work on, all the plugins you’ve written – in all the things, you helped a lot of us with the small stuff too. Thank you.

  31. Your Viper’s Video Quicktags plugin was the first plugin I ever used. It was magical, it embedded a video from something like 10 different video sources in a post/page, and presented it as a link in the RSS feed.

    This was back over 10 years ago when embed codes were legitimately horrible and also didn’t appear in RSS feeds or email subscriptions, rendering video posts as basically blank for any followers.

    Back then, I spent a lot of time in Youtube and Vimeo, and your plugin allowed me to share that with the world on my blog, leading me use my blog a lot and eventually increasing my activity as a volunteer on the WordPress Support Forums, which eventually lead to my job at Automattic.

    In short, you may be one of the reasons I’m at Automattic today.

    I imagine you’ve impacted others in similar ways, from your coding skills, your cars, your sites, plugins, and most of all your kindness and patience. I really enjoyed working with you. 🙂

    If you’re reading this, Alex, thank you!

  32. I know you’ll soon be leaving, but for now you are still here. You’ve brought smiles to those around you you with your positive outlook and cheer.

    You’re staring mortality in the face with a smirk and without fear. So many roadblocks in your way, but you always know where to steer.

    We’re not quite ready to say goodbye yet and farewell while you’re still here, so to you in earned respect, we proudly toast and raise our beer.

    Slaínte, my friend!

  34. So sorry to hear this. Although we’ve never met or even had a conversation, I’ve known your name for years and have been using your plugins for as long as I can remember. Regenerate Thumbnails became a staple in my WP builds instantly.

    Thanks for everything you’ve done for the WordPress community. Rest easy.

  35. You’ve been a great friend and colleague over the years and I’m so thankful I got to know you better the short time Tim and I lived in Oregon.

    I’ll never forget the weekly trips for giant burritos while coworking and you falling asleep on the couch in a burrito coma later. Ruining me for fast cars forever when you took me out for a spin in the Viper. Introducing you to crossfit and cursing me for your soreness afterwards. Giving you grief on how you cooked your cheese pizza. Going to a burger place and you getting grilled cheese. Watching you and Tim fight over Mario Kart and hearing you two talk nonsense about computer hardware. Taking us to Manzanita to your favorite burrito place. Too many great memories to count.

    Through your whole battle with this terrible disease, you’ve always stayed positive which is a testament to what an amazing person you are. I’m proud that you’re taking the time you have left at home surrounded by all those who love you.

    I’ll never forget you, my friend. <3

  37. I am sorry to hear the news. 🙁 I only met you in person once Alex, wish I could have connected more with you.

    I have been following your posts for a long time and this is such a punch in the gut. You are such a great example of staying strong.

    Love from my family you and yours. <3

  40. Cannot imagine what you’re going through. But miracles do happen. Here’s wishing you and your family one such miracle! Until then, get good rest. _/\_

    Kind regards,

  41. Alex, do you remember how I was a total nervous fanboy when we met at the San Francisco GM? I’ll never forget how you were sooo gracious and kind and made me feel comfortable and that I actually deserved to be there along with you. Thanks for being so down-to-earth, Alex!

  42. I’m sad I never got to meet you, but I am so proud to have been your colleague. Thank you for all your contributions to the WordPress community. Love and peace

  43. So sorry to hear. I’ve never met you but your software has made huge impacts for me every single day that I sit down and develop websites.

  44. I’m so sorry to hear that, Alex. Even though we’ve never met in person, your work has always been an inspiration to me. Thank you for all your contributions and plugins.

    Godspeed…

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