Letter from Carla Melzack

Updated posted by Carla Melzack Dec. 2, 2013

Dear Friends of Philip, 

It’s taken several days to post this update while overwhelmed with grief.
Philip’s family made the heart wrenching decision to take Philip off life support. This decision was made after several weeks of extensive evaluations, testing, as well as multiple consultations with specialists. Not only did Philip’s team of doctors think this best but, more importantly, his family knew that Philip would have made the same decision for himself as he had specifically written this out beforehand. 

After more than a month in a coma it had been determined that Philip is in a vegetative state - the result of severe brain injury from massive internal bleeding after surgery. It became clear that Philip would never recover his former life of playing guitar and composing music – forever bedridden in a limbo state, never to walk and speak again as the person he knew himself to be and whom we all loved. Philip did not want to be kept in such a state. He said he preferred to be allowed to die as peacefully as possible if this situation ever arose. Philip is now dying peacefully in hospital, watched over by family and close friends.

Our grief knows no bounds as Philip is our beloved youngest brother whom we always protected and cherished as he was blessed with a wonderful creative talents and artistic majesty on the guitar. Philip is a beloved father who will always be remembered for his legacy.

We cannot thank all of you enough who have outreached to support Philip and his family – who have overwhelmed us with your heartfelt support, generous donations, and shared with us your own personal stories and experiences about how Philip has impacted your lives. We will hold these things forever in our hearts. 

We hope to reach our financial goal to help Philip end his life with dignity and to have a memorial service in the near future which will hopefully include many of you to commemorate how Philip contributed to the world of music. We will also strive to spread Philip’s music so many generations to come can enjoy it. 

We will keep all of you posted when Philip finally decides to leave this earth. Please keep him and his family in your prayers.