Author Topic: Andreas Gia Memorial Update - Donation Link Live (Read 5576 times)

elouicious · « **on:** June 27, 2021, 03:00:05 PM »

I am sorry to be writing this message here but I thought some people may want to know given his presence here on the forum.

Andreas has a great passion for plants and is a wonderful person who is a great friend of mine and who I know some of you had the chance to interact with a lot or a little,

He has a wealth of knowledge on all sorts of plants and one of the greatest collections I have seen in person, while he is a Houston native he was traveling to Florida to go to the fruit and spice park and visit the many fruit trees in the area

If anyone has any ability or resources to help the people on the ground in Miami or with the rescue team in any way please do so,

I hope everyone will keep him in their thoughts and prayers until we find out more information.

Please see the donation link below

https://app.mobilecause.com/vf/give4andreas/DanielZamler

simon_grow · « **Reply #1 on:** June 27, 2021, 05:51:01 PM »

OMG, that is horrible and my prayers go out to him and his family that he is safe. What a tragedy. Thanks for the information.

Simon

canito 17 · « **Reply #2 on:** June 27, 2021, 06:11:58 PM »

Really sorry to hear that .About 5 puertoriqueños lived there too .Hope is the last thing to lose.

skhan · « **Reply #3 on:** June 27, 2021, 06:41:03 PM »

This is some sad news.
Thanks for that information and please keep us updated

Zambezi · « **Reply #4 on:** June 27, 2021, 07:30:18 PM »

I am so sorry to hear the news about Andreas.
My thoughts and prayers are with him and his family, and I hope you hear good news that he is found safe and well.

If there is anything I can do to help you or his family, please feel free to let me know.
I'll be glad to help in any way that I can,
~ Shakira

johnb51 · « **Reply #5 on:** June 27, 2021, 09:27:56 PM »

What a tragic, horrific, and heartbreaking event. I think we're seeing that all available resources are being utilized to deal with the situation.

cmichael258 · « **Reply #6 on:** June 28, 2021, 09:17:35 AM »

What a tragedy !

TomekK · « **Reply #7 on:** June 28, 2021, 10:04:01 AM »

That’s terrible. So awful to hear. Thoughts and prayers with him and his family.

roblack · « **Reply #8 on:** June 28, 2021, 10:31:42 AM »

Very sad to hear of Andreas and others, and all their family and loved ones, being caught up in this tragedy. Still having trouble processing how this could have happened. My heart goes out to everyone trying to hang on to hope, and those who are grieving.

canito 17 · « **Reply #9 on:** June 28, 2021, 06:27:10 PM »

We lose 2 Boricuas. Mother and son. 4 still missing

elouicious · « **Reply #10 on:** July 01, 2021, 09:36:04 AM »

Unfortunately I do not have good news to share but I felt an update was necessary given multiple peoples request,

Andreas has been confirmed to be among the deceased from the building.

Here is an article with some more information

https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/body-21-year-old-houston-native-recovered-florida-condo-collapse/285-4417299a-360e-4b1c-904a-63728dd4a91a

He was visiting his godfather, Manuel Lafont, and when his body was found there was very little hope but now our worst fears have been validated.

There has been a gofundme established for his family- I am unaffiliated but if anyone wants to donate they can do so below

https://www.gofundme.com/f/andreas-giannitsopolous-surfside-bldg-collapse

In the longer term I would like to organize a plant and/or monetary donation to one of the Houston Botanical Gardens in his Honor, I know of a few that already have sections dedicated to edibles and I am thinking a few Guava spp or something rarer that will grow well here for a long time. I have a few candidate plants such as Psidium longitpetiolatum to donate

If any other Houston Locals are interested please reach out to me by PM

sytanta · « **Reply #11 on:** July 01, 2021, 10:08:43 AM »

Ohh my

Kuhyay · « **Reply #12 on:** July 01, 2021, 10:18:54 AM »

What a tragedy. My thoughts are with his family and friends.

FV Fruit Freak · « **Reply #13 on:** July 01, 2021, 11:32:47 AM »

Hope you are walking around the fruit forest of your dreams in heaven...surrounded by mangosteens, lychees, mangos, and more...RIP brother.

eyeckr · « **Reply #14 on:** July 01, 2021, 11:48:36 AM »

Thoughts and prayers out to him and his family.

ScottR · « **Reply #15 on:** July 01, 2021, 12:07:38 PM »

Ooh no, sad news indeed that's a hard way to go! Thoughts 7 prayers for family.

TomekK · « **Reply #16 on:** July 01, 2021, 12:34:27 PM »

So sad to hear. I only knew Andreas from a few PMs and text messages, and can only imagine what his family is going through. This is an awful loss. Thoughts and prayers to him and his family.

Future · « **Reply #17 on:** July 01, 2021, 04:03:35 PM »

Peace be with his family.

W. · « **Reply #18 on:** July 01, 2021, 06:06:32 PM »

My condolences to his family on this awful news. For a vacation to visit the Fruit & Spice Park to end like this. Talk about being at the wrong place at the wrong time. It is one of those tragedies that really makes you think about things.

I cannot say I knew Andreas well, at all. We posted on some of the same threads about Eugenias, Garcinias, etc., so we shared some similar interests in plants and interacted a little. But, that does not mean I will not miss his presence on the Forum, a feeling which is nothing compared to what his family is feeling. From the news articles about him, he seemed like a good young man. I doubt anyone would have written about me as glowingly if I had died at that age, at least not if they were being truthful. I will make it a point to remember him and who he was.

I have a couple of plants that I would be willing to donate in his memory. They are only small seedlings, so they probably would not be able to be planted outdoors at the Houston Botanical Gardens for quite some time. I have a Psidium striatulum, since you requested Guava species. I also have a Eugenia repanda, since Andreas and I both commented on threads about Eugenias. I am not sure whether these species have the cold tolerance to withstand Houston's winters unprotected, but if they do, they might make a nice tribute.

elouicious · « **Reply #19 on:** July 01, 2021, 10:16:19 PM »

Quote from: W. on July 01, 2021, 06:06:32 PM

My condolences to his family on this awful news. For a vacation to visit the Fruit & Spice Park to end like this. Talk about being at the wrong place at the wrong time. It is one of those tragedies that really makes you think about things.

I cannot say I knew Andreas well, at all. We posted on some of the same threads about Eugenias, Garcinias, etc., so we shared some similar interests in plants and interacted a little. But, that does not mean I will not miss his presence on the Forum, a feeling which is nothing compared to what his family is feeling. From the news articles about him, he seemed like a good young man. I doubt anyone would have written about me as glowingly if I had died at that age, at least not if they were being truthful. I will make it a point to remember him and who he was.

I have a couple of plants that I would be willing to donate in his memory. They are only small seedlings, so they probably would not be able to be planted outdoors at the Houston Botanical Gardens for quite some time. I have a Psidium striatulum, since you requested Guava species. I also have a Eugenia repanda, since Andreas and I both commented on threads about Eugenias. I am not sure whether these species have the cold tolerance to withstand Houston's winters unprotected, but if they do, they might make a nice tribute.

So much of this makes no sense, His poor family,

He was scheduled to return home the following morning and was active on this forum as of 1:15am, I currently have several of his plants from when he was at school and was supposed to return them this past Sunday- We talked many times abut how he aspired to fruit any and all rare plants, even Durian, in the continental U.S. He was growing things from all over the world, plenty of eugenia, garcinia, artocarpus, pouteria etc. and even had several fruiting trees.

Thank you for the offer, I have added you to a list and will contact you with further details once I have something more concrete with a garden lined up-

Malia · « **Reply #20 on:** July 01, 2021, 11:32:10 PM »

At 21 such a remarkable young man. Already with deep interest in growing plants. This is so unfair.

Chandramohan · « **Reply #21 on:** July 02, 2021, 06:30:17 AM »

A terrible loss! I had sent him G.indica and G.morella seeds last year and he had received them in December.

Pokeweed · « **Reply #22 on:** July 02, 2021, 07:45:56 AM »

I had the pleasure of spending a few hours with Andreas in early June. I thoroughly enjoyed our visit and I can say that he was a really good guy with a passion for his plants. He kept his plants healthy enough that he had some things that we don't consider cold hardy at all that came back from their roots after our 12ish degree multi day freeze. I was impressed.
I will miss him. Elouicious....keep me informed re the botanical tribute. I think that is very appropriate. I will be of help with it. D

elouicious · « **Reply #23 on:** July 06, 2021, 07:27:03 PM »

for those in the area, details of the memorial service are below,

unfortunately I am out of state and cannot

https://www.tributearchive.com/obituaries/21616696/andreas-konstantinos-giannitsopoulos/houston/texas/bradshaw-carter-memorial-funeral-services

palologrower · « **Reply #24 on:** July 06, 2021, 07:42:20 PM »

A hui Ho…. Until we meet again. Condolences to the family.

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Author Topic: Andreas Gia Memorial Update - Donation Link Live (Read 5576 times)