One of the best and brightest satirical bloggers has died. RIP Jon Swift.

[salvorhardin]

Al Weisel, best known to the blogging community as the satirical faux-conservative Jon Swift, died on February 27th. In a comment on Al’s blog, his mother shared the news of his passing:

I don’t know how else to tell you all who love this blog. I am Jon Swift’s Mom and I guess I’m going to OUT him. He was Al Weisel, my beloved son. Al was on his way to his father’s funeral in VA when he suffered 2 aortic aneurysms, a leaky aortic valve and an aortic artery dissection from his heart to his pelvis. He had 3 major surgeries within 24 hours and sometime during those surgeries also suffered a severe stroke. We, his 2 sisters, his brother, his partner and his best friend since he was 9 years old were with him as he took his last breath. We have all lost a shining start who warmed our hearts, tormented us and made us laugh as he giggled at our pulling something over on us. He passed away on February 27, 2010. My beloved child will live on in so many hearts. I miss him more than I can say. If you are on Facebook, go to organizations and join “Friends of Al Weisel, Unite!” It will give you just a taste of how special he was. Farewell, Jon (Al). 3/02/2010 8:14 AM

I only knew Al through his involvement with Carnival of the Liberals, but I delighted in each and every post he submitted and I became a regular reader of his blog. Al was doing the faux-conservative thing long before Stephen Colbert and, in my mind anyway, he was much smarter, much funnier. His death is shocking in its suddenness.

I was sad when Al’s blogging output sputtered out at Jon Swift but I well understand the way life can get in the way of writing, especially when our blogs tend not to make us money. It’s terrible though to know that I’ll never have another opportunity to delight in Al’s wry wit. Al’s passing only underscores the fragility of all our lives and the need for real community among bloggers. After all, we’ve only got each other and, in the end, not even that.

[renate]

1. his name looked oddly familiar out of context... then I remembered

His blog is on my list of bookmarks.

This is sad news. And how absolutely awful for his family... he was on his way to his dad's funeral when he died? Heartbreaking. :cry:

[salvorhardin]

2. Yeah. He suffered a series of adverse events on the way to his dad's funeral.

He later passed away in the hospital.

Al's voice was one of the ones that helped keep me sane during the Bush years. Heartbreaking, indeed.

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. Oh no - he was one of the best

Funny, sharp, but he blogged in the true spirit of it - regarding any blogger or commenter as worth talking to, as an equal.

:cry:

[salvorhardin]

4. That's definitely what made him a great guy

One of the things he did for the blogging community was to start Blogroll Amnesty Day as a way of promoting smaller, lesser known bloggers. After all, the big guys like Glenn Greenwald don't need the link love so why not share it with people who do?

[Blue Owl]

5. RIP Bro

:patriot: