Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Sad News From Lima: Adiós Amigo Wolfy

Wolfy Becker and his bride Marcela
at their wedding in Germany on March 12, 2005

I'm in a bit of a state of shock, so if I ramble, please bear with me...

After a busy day at work here in Los Angeles, I come home, check my e-mail, and find out that a great lover of Peru, Wolfgang Becker, known to friends and family as Wolfy, died of a heart attack in Lima last Friday, April 20.

Wolfy was known to many in the expat community of Lima, and others interested in Peru, Peruvian society and Peruvian politics.

I first met Wofy via the internet through his blog, Un Lobo En Perú, in which he wrote about Peruvian society and politics. I remember many wonderful exchanges of ideas as we discussed last year's Peruvian presidential elections.

He was passionate about Peru, a skilled writer, had a great sense of humor, and a wonderful zest for life. About a year ago, he put his blog on hold and started working for Living In Peru, which he completely revamped and renovated. A few months ago, he left to pursue his personal journalistic desires and started up a Peruvian news website called JournalPeru, where he made his last entry the very same day he died.

Last time I was in Lima, we were going to get together, but it was the holiday season and so very difficult to get our schedules to mesh. Next time, next time, we said to each other in our last phone conversation. Sadly, I never had a chance to meet him in person, but via numerous emails, phone calls, and blog posts, I feel like I knew him, and considered him a friend. We were going to be collaborating in JournalPeru, but we're both very busy, so we hadn't been in touch for a while. I had actually been thinking to myself, I gotta send Wolfy an email, but never got around to it. Now, I could just kick myself...

Aside from his blog and websites, he had a Flickr photo page which also showed the kind of a person he was. He was an occasional contributor at the Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree, South America Branch.

My thoughts and prayers are with his wife Marcela in Lima, whom he loved very much, and his friends and family in Peru and his native Germany. He was 46 years old.

Adiós amigo Wolfy...


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TAGS: Peru, Peruvian, food, cooking, cuisine, cocina, comida, gastronomía, peruana

5 comments:

MTeplitsky said...

Alejandro, thanks for a touching entry. I had exchanged emails with Wolfy just a few days prior to his passing as well, since we hadn't the chance to meet either...I admired his work a lot and I felt quite sad. Also we are the same age, wow....too young!

Mitch Teplitsky

::Alejandro:: said...

Mitch,

Thank you for your comment on this sad occasion.

Alejandro

Anonymous said...

Wolfgang was laid to rest in a burial service held at his place of birth, Stumpertenrod (Germany), today (May 9th, 2007 at 14:00h MESZ). His wife, mother, family and friends were with him on his last way.

Farewell Wolfgang! Rest in Peace.

::Alejandro:: said...

Thank you anonymous for your information; Wolfy, auf Wiedersehen!

Anonymous said...

My heart sunk today when I read that Wolfi died, I am in shock and very sad.
How nice was this wonderful german guy that loved Peru so much and always kept a positive idea about Peru, no matter what.
He was so friendly and nice, I remember that he answered my two emails and wished me a nice cristmass and I told him to take care in Lima of thieves, because I was robbed when I got there and I didn't want him to experience that.
I wish we could have in this dificult world more people like Wolfi, it would bring more happines and hope to our hearts, he was such a possitive person.
GOD BLESS YOU WOLFI, WE MISS YOU!!
I am, like I said, very sad.
My condolences to his wife and family!
Wolfi, Wolfi, THANK YOU !!!!!