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A place for obituaries and fond memories of those who have passed away from multiple myeloma.

Eric Hofacket

by Lisa Frick on Thu Aug 18, 2016 12:08 pm

Eric and I were together 8 years. He was diagnosed with multiple myeloma on April 1, 2011. Eric passed away June 6, 2016.

He was receiving 2 transfusions per week of red cells and platelets and was currently being treated with Darzalex with hopes of a partial remission for a donor stem cell transplant this fall. He was responding to the Darzalex. He went in for a transfusion, developed an infection, and was gone within 24 hours. His body was not capable of fighting any sort of infection and he went into organ failure. Totally unexpected. He was surrounded by his entire family when passed away.

Eric frequently posted on this site and the information he acquired here was essential to his knowledge of his disease and lead him towards some of the treatment decisions he made.

He was the love of my life and I miss him like you wouldn't believe. Thank you to all who followed him and supported him.

Lisa Frick

Re: Eric Hofacket

by Boris Simkovich on Thu Aug 18, 2016 12:23 pm

Thank you, Lisa, for letting all of us here know about Eric's passing.

Eric was a remarkable person who generously shared his experiences and knowledge of multiple myeloma with other patients and caregivers here at The Beacon. In the four years he was active in the Beacon community, Eric made over 500 forum postings and 70 comments on articles and columns. His last forum posting was just a month before he passed. His postings are often referred to by others here in the forum (there was an instance of this just recently).

All of us here will miss Eric very much. Please accept our condolences on his passing, and pass along our best wishes to all his friends and family. May peace, love, and tenderness be with all of you during this difficult time.

I hope it is okay for us to reproduce here a copy of Eric's obituary. It reads as follows:

Eric was diagnosed with multiple myeloma on April 1, 2011. He courageously fought and endured grueling treatments for 5 years.

Eric was born on 3/4/1967 at Mather AFB, Sacramento. Primarily raised in Napa and attending college at Chico majoring in Mech. Engineering. Accepted into Navy Nuclear school as a junior in college and upon graduation in 1990, attended Officer Candidate School. He was assigned to the Nuclear Sub USS Philadelphia, and earned many naval awards. After leaving the Navy, his final job was at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Corona Division.

He resided in Lake Elsinore where he met longtime girlfriend, Lisa Frick. They both enjoyed swimming, hiking, bicycling, and travel across the country.

He was surrounded by family and Lisa as he passed on.

Survivors include beloved parents, Jerry and Carolyn Hofacket, Brother Chris Hofacket, Sister Erin McPhee (Robert), and Nephews; Adam, Michael, and Matthew Hofacket; Nieces; Celeste Hofacket, Madison and Melanie McPhee, and devoted girlfriend Lisa Frick.

There was a celebration of his life at Lake Elsinore and internment at Sacramento Valley National Cemetary in Dixon, at a later date.

“If a man does not keep pace with his companions perhaps it is because he hears a different Drummer. Let him step to the music he hears, however measured and far away.”

This personifies Eric. He will be dearly missed.

Boris Simkovich
Name: Boris Simkovich
Founder
The Myeloma Beacon

Re: Eric Hofacket

by Christa's Mom on Thu Aug 18, 2016 12:29 pm

Lisa,

I am so sorry for your loss. Eric was very knowl­edge­able about myeloma, and I always appreci­ated his posts. We will miss him here, too.

All the best to you and your family.

Lyn

Christa's Mom
Name: Christa's Mom
Who do you know with myeloma?: Husband
When were you/they diagnosed?: September, 2010
Age at diagnosis: 53

Re: Eric Hofacket

by Rhonda on Thu Aug 18, 2016 12:34 pm

Lisa

I am so sorry for your loss. I read Eric's postings with much interest. God bless and comfort you and his family during this most difficult time.

Rhonda

Rhonda
Who do you know with myeloma?: myself
When were you/they diagnosed?: September 2014
Age at diagnosis: 54

Re: Eric Hofacket

by Lisa Frick on Thu Aug 18, 2016 12:47 pm

Thank you, and yes, you may post any info about him that you would like.

Eric was an incredibly smart man and a student of his disease. I would sit with him at his doctor appointments and listen to him discuss his disease and treatments with his doctor like they were colleagues. He would often provide info to the doctor that even the doctor was not aware of yet and would lead his doctor to do further research.

I miss him every day.

Lisa Frick

Re: Eric Hofacket

by jane84 on Thu Aug 18, 2016 1:14 pm

I am so sorry for your loss. I was following Eric and I was expecting his posts, as he seemed to me to be well informed and he was able to translate all he knew in words that I would understand (I am a non scientific French native speaker). I will never forget him.

jane84
Name: jane84
Who do you know with myeloma?: myself
When were you/they diagnosed?: 11,2012
Age at diagnosis: 44

Re: Eric Hofacket

by Multibilly on Thu Aug 18, 2016 9:53 pm

This is indeed sad news. Eric was a great and compassionate contributor on this forum and I learned much from him. He will be missed.

Multibilly
Name: Multibilly
Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
When were you/they diagnosed?: Smoldering, Nov, 2012

Re: Eric Hofacket

by TerryH on Thu Aug 18, 2016 11:14 pm

I'm so sorry to see this news. Eric not only was knowledgeable and amazingly helpful to others here in the forum, but he also had a lot of humility. He obviously knew a lot about multiple myeloma, but he never assumed that he had the answer to every question.

He also was great at recognizing that, even among myeloma specialists, there are differences of opinion on important myeloma-related issues. He never assumed that just because his myeloma specialist believes one thing, that's the "one true way". This was such a breath of fresh air, and something I suspect was rooted in his technical (engineering) background.

Eric, I am sure I am not alone when I say that I will miss you very much. I hope that wherever you are, you are able to hear and see how much we have cared about you and how much you were appreciated.

And Lisa, thank you for letting us know about Eric, and my condolences to you and everyone else who was close to Eric.

TerryH

Re: Eric Hofacket

by Steve on Thu Aug 18, 2016 11:26 pm

My sincere condolences to the Hofacket family and to his sweetie, Lisa.

His contributions will be missed here at The Beacon!

Steve
Name: Steve
Who do you know with myeloma?: myself
When were you/they diagnosed?: December 2009
Age at diagnosis: 55

Re: Eric Hofacket

by Kaew on Fri Aug 19, 2016 12:04 pm

RIP Eric Hofacket. My condolences to you and his family.

Kaew

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