Marcus: A Life of Giving & Quantum-Gravity Enthusiasm

[jackmell]

I know firsthand some admirable qualities Marcus exhibited on this forum. Perhaps if the members wanted, we could offer an award yearly to someone that exemplified them.

 

[chasrob]

R.I.P.
"His good deeds go before him"

 

[julian]

I know firsthand some admirable qualities Marcus exhibited on this forum. Perhaps if the members wanted, we could offer an award yearly to someone that exemplified them.

I think something we have failed to acknowledge is the courage and bravery that Marcus showed by continuing to learn AND teach several months after what must have been devastating news that his cancer was in such an advanced stage.

I think a lot of us know a friend or family member (myself included) with cancer, and how helpless you can sometimes feel. Also how much treatments such as chemo knocks a person about.

I was trying to think of a way that Marcus could be remembered (aside from his numerous valuable posts) in order to inspire future members of PF, and I think jackmell's idea great. Maybe at some point in many months to come this idea could be realized, but could I suggest that the award be put to a vote and that you can only vote if you make £1 donation to a cancer research charity.

 

[Nugso]

I've not been posting too much on the forums lately, because of the thesis I'm working on, but I always talked to him on PM, and he always helped and answered me with kindness.

I thanked him personally back then, and I'd like to thank him now for everything he has done for me, and for all of us. RIP.

 

[MeJennifer]

May he rest in peace!

He liked this song very much:

 

[Monsterboy]

RIP Marcus

He was certainly one of PF's greatest contributors, he had a unique talent to make dumb people like me understand what he was talking about , although my interaction with him was extremely limited in the topics of GR, QM/QG etc (since its not my area) , I was lucky enough to interact with him on the topics of manned mission to Mars and probes to Ceres and Pluto.

His posts and replies gave me a warm feeling everytime and made me feel at home in PF.

 

[Tsu]

 

[megacal]

Very sad to hear Marcus has passed on.
He seemed like a good & decent man, helping others to understand great things, even those
like me who are mathematically challenged.

Would love to see what he looked like & see his bio if possible.

Sincere condolences to his family and all his many friends. I wish I had known him personally.

 

[Stephanus]

Very sad to hear Marcus has passed on.
He seemed like a good & decent man, helping others to understand great things, even those
like me who are mathematically challenged.

Would love to see what he looked like & see his bio if possible.

Sincere condolences to his family and all his many friends. I wish I had known him personally.

Yes he had answered me, too several times about cosmology.

 

[MTd2]

Hi everyone -- Marcus's son here. Thank you all for the love and warmth here in this thread.

To answer the question about "what happened", it was esophagus cancer -- we found out about it in September, but by that point it was advanced to a level where not much could be done. We tried anyway -- chemo, radiation, etc. But, well...

I know he cared a whole lot about all of you guys. When I would see him or talk to him on the phone, he would often update me on what was going on here on PF, and how he was starting a poll or posting a summary of various papers or whatever else he would do on a regular basis. I empathized with how he felt about PF, since my generation grew up with the internet and I thought it was wonderful to see him bonding as deeply with you guys as I've bonded with the online communities I'm part of.

You guys rock. Hugs to you all.

My condolences to you and your family.

I haven't visited PF for a while. So, one of these days, I was back to see his thread "Loop-and-allied QG bibliography" and I missed his presence. I found it really, really odd that he hadn't opened a new thread about this paper: "Conformal loop quantum gravity coupled to the Standard Model", by one of his favorite authors Rodolfo Gambini and Jorge Pullin. That would nr something that would keep him posting a post after post for all day quoting the paper and making with bold his favorite parts. So, I looked for his latest post, and it was from May 6th. Then, I found this thread.I am devastated. I am crying here... Why?!? I know, there is no why. I always thought of visiting him one day. I wanted to know him, but he kept his privacy. I'd like to know his ideas in a much more deeper and personal level. This is because he always my mind busy during very depressing times since he always kept sight of interesting things. It seems life is not only merely short. moreover, it is further shortened because we don't happen to live nearby, to live during similar times, or to communicate as much as we wanted.

He was always a personal star to me. I hope he can somehow forever shine to many people.

Rest in Peace, Marcus, my friend.

 

[FritoTaco]

This is really sad, he seemed like a really helpful and nice person. Maybe in the next universe, we will find him...

 

[StevieTNZ]

This news truly shocks me. Although I didn't really engage in much discussion with him, he seemed well informed on a variety of physics topics and recent pre-print's and their popularity. He was also the person who guided me in the direction of a book that was in Italian, and soon to be published in English. That book will serve me a reminder of marcus. May he rest in peace.

A few days ago the book translated to English arrived. I immediately thought of marcus.

:*(

 

[houlahound]

If success in life is judged by the positive impact you left on others then Marcus succeeded well at life.

I wish I knew him.

 

[garrett]

Marcus will be greatly missed.

 

[OmCheeto]

Marcus will be greatly missed.

"will be"?

It tore a part of my heart out, when I heard the news.

Once, he put out his hand, and invited people along, on a long boring journey.
I was bit late, but once I grabbed onto his hand, it was a wild ride, that I will never forget.

And that, is how I define friendship: People, going on wonderful adventures, together.

 

[Fra]

This was really sad news.

I have not been very frequent here the last few years due to beeing too busy, which is why i just discovered this today..

I remember well my first communication with Marcus, it was on another forum where he was the first to welcomed me more than 9 years ago. In despite that i event didn't konw his name irl, and that he used different aliases here and there, he was clearly distinguishable by his mere style of posting, no further labels was necessary. He was really friendly, helpful and constructive.

/Fredrik

 

[Stephanus]

Ah, poor Marcus. I understand how you feel @Fra

 

[julian]

RIP marcus. Much missed. His many contributions will continue to enlighten.