We got the very sad news today that Paul DiBlasi, our friend, Pyrates Royale bandmate emeritus, and one of the sweetest people I've known, has died suddenly early Monday morning from complications of his bladder cancer and treatment.
He was in the band for seven years before moving on to concentrate on music and performance with his wife Janie Meneely. They performed as Calico Jack.
This is a huge shock.
Paul had just played Saturday at a new sea-shanty and sea-lore Janie organized festival the Naval Heritage Center in DC.
He'd had multiple fairly recent surgeries and procedures which left him feeling pretty beat up.
Janie took him to the local hospital Sunday after he fell ill.
He suffered internal hemorrhaging and a problem with blood chemistry.
The doctors thought they had things under control until he had a major set-beck around midnight
Two heart failures followed; and he faded away at the second before dawn.

I am angry at the universe right now.