NIWA founding figure farewelled: WiKirby owner passes away

Source?
 
Was wondering why there wasn't a thread here yet. It has been in the NIWA news for a while. There's a thread on there, but it's in the staff forums for some reason. It's difficult for me to write about this (you may have noticed that I'm on the WiKirby staff), so I will just quote the thread for a "source".

"Axiomist, known as Joshua P. LeJeune in real life, passed away on March 18, 2011. His sister left a commemoration note on his Facebook yesterday, and after a bit of research, I found that it is in fact true. His viewing is slated for March 22 in a funeral home in his hometown. [...] The cause of death has not been released by the family[...]."

It was posted on WiKirby's news as well, with two relevant links. No, the site won't be going down any time soon, but the gap will never be truly filled. He will be missed.
 
Awards Committee Guy NSM said:
Someone died?

How old was he?

I believe he was in his early 30's.
 
Whoa. How did he die? I know it's not released yet...still. O woeful day!
 
What a tragedy. My condolences go out to his friends and family, and I hope he lived a good life.
 
That... blows.

Best wishes go to his family, may he rest in piece and let his lordship give his family strength.

Losing a family member is no joke and really hard to go through, I really hope they'll get through this.
 
As reported on gaming website Zelda Informer earlier today, one of the key figures in the NIWA project has passed away.

Axiomist, known away from his keyboard as Joshua Paul LeJeune, has been involved in fan-run internet projects since early 2008, where he was part of the Zelda community. He rose to an administrator ranking on Zelda Wiki and held this position for around one year before concentrating his efforts on WiKirby (the wiki... that's about Kirby), which he founded and owned.

He was influential in setting up NIWA, the Nintendo Independent Wiki Alliance, and was well-known throughout the entire community for the friendly help and advice he was able to give to those users who sought it.

Axiomist will be greatly missed, not only by the people who knew him best, but by the NIWA community as a whole.

He was thirty.

From Bulbapedia, Bulbanews, and the Bulbagarden Network: rest in peace, Josh.

Amongst all of the hype of Pokémon, I am grieved to have to deliver this somber piece of news. While we have all been affected by the Christchurch earthquake and Japanese disaster, this occurrence hits very close to home for us in the Zelda and Nintendo online community. Respected Zelda theorist, Zelda Wiki admin, NIWA co-founder and Wikirby founder/owner Joshua Paul LeJeune (known as Axiomist) passed away on March 18 2011, at the young age of 30. Of course you have to be hesitant on the internet to the validity of such information; however, as we don't take such pranks lightly, we have to say that this is no hoax. Although the details are not available to us, we have confirmation from the funeral home.

Many of us around Zelda Informer and the Zelda community were quite close to Josh, so this is a very sad moment. The news has struck us out of the blue, and is quite devastating. Those who knew Joshua knew that he was a kindhearted and caring guy, and Josh, you will be missed.

I first met Joshua back in early 2008 at Zelda Universe when we were both just newbies to the online Zelda community. Within the Theorizing section of ZU Axiomist greeted me with the compliment that he enjoyed my theories because they were not focused on the Zelda timeline and reminded him that theorizing was about so much more. From there we sparked a lasting online friendship that saw us across many websites in the Zelda and Nintendo online communities.

Joshua and myself decided to join Zelda Wiki and contribute to the project that was co-run by numerous Zelda sites. Wikis are daunting at first, but Josh was there to help me, and he him. If there is one thing about Josh that will stay with me, it was his willingness to assist and help others. In 2009, almost a year after joining Zelda Wiki I was promoted to staff as an administrator. Soon after this I had the privilege myself to promote Josh to Zelda Wiki staff and welcome him to the team. During his time at Zelda Wiki Josh earned the respect of its members and drove the wiki forward to new levels.

Many of you will be familiar with NIWA - The Nintendo Independent Wiki Alliance. The idea came from long conversations between Archaic, Bulbapedia's owner, and myself - however, the project's current success is due to the continued assistance of members from the individual wikis. Perhaps no-one helped in the establishment and founding of NIWA more than Josh. He was always there to give his opinion, to do the little things that other people didn't, and to keep the whole project on track. NIWA's current and future success can be attributed significantly to the input of Josh in its early days.

In the spirit of NIWA, Josh also founded and created the now-number-one source for Kirby information on the internet - WiKirby. The site is yet further evidence of Josh's drive to provide quality - which he always did. As we here at Zelda Informer set up our own Metroid Wiki, Josh was always there offering support and assistance. He was a caring individual. If he saw something that wasn't living up to its potential, or that something could be done better, he'd assist in making sure everyone and everything lived up to their absolute maximum potential.

It was only a few weeks ago now that I last contacted Axiomist; and looking back, the minute details of Metroid Wiki that we were discussing seem so irrelevant. If we had known that this would be the last time how would it have been different? It's cliché, I know, but death is a perplexing thing. It is an inevitability, but at the age of 30, no-one deserves it yet. Josh had much to live for, and much left to achieve. I know that he wouldn't have wanted to go until he had done everything that he could to make the world a better place.

The internet is a strange place. People come and go, friends come and go. Most people are just a username you briefly see. It's rare that you come across a person that genuinely cares for others; who's willing to listen and help. As I sit here today writing this, I know in my heart that if it wasn't for Josh, I wouldn't be here. Many of us wouldn't be. If it wasn't for Josh's comments back at ZU in 2008, I never would have gotten into theorizing and writing. If it wasn't for Josh I never would have become involved in Zelda Wiki, and been able to help establish NIWA, or take Metroid Wiki to where it has gotten to today.

I owe you a lot Josh, but you never asked for anything in return. You were loved across all of the online communities that knew you, and you will be missed. Our hearts go out to Joshua's family in this trying time. Know that our thoughts are with you. You will not be forgotten Josh. We will remember you for who you were: respected, kindhearted, caring, Axiomist. Rest in peace. - Zelda Informer


I cried when it was announced he was dead. (I'm very sensitive.)
 
WHAT!?!?!?

:'(

I am already upset at what happened at school!
 
Wow. That's just awful. My condolences to his friends and family for losing a great friend. But if he was in his thirties, how did he die? I know I shouldn't pry, but I am curious.
 
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