A Tribute For AAPlus

[Corrine]

AAPlus

AAPlus was a very special member of the former Team Lavasoft. 
With incredible patience, he helped thousands of people.

We lost Rojas, but we have not forgotten him.
Through the help and encouragement he freely gave,
      his memory lives on.

Rojas will forever live in our hearts.
He will always be with us.

_________

We were not allowed to post a tribute to AAPlus at LS when he died. 
Rojas' son, HJThis, has given permission for this tribute to his Pops.

[Die Hard]

    I will never forget Rojas.

He was the first person that was helping me, when I took my first stumbling steps as a helper on the LS forum.
He was my mentor, who with humour and patience lead me through the first hard time and taught me the routines.

He will always remain in my heart and be remembered as a good friend.

Die Hard

[Goatie]

I never knew this wonderful man other than I've heard so many and only good things about him, anough to know that he had a mission in life and did it with such competence and extreme kindness.



When somebody dies,
a cloud turns into an angel,
and flies up to tell the Universe
to put another flower on a pillow.
A bird gives the message
back to the world,
and sings a silent prayer
that makes the rain cry.
People disappear,
but they never really go away.
The spirits up there
put the sun to bed,
wake up grass,
and spin the earth in dizzy circles.
Sometimes you can see them
dancing in a cloud
during the day-time,
when they're supposed
to be sleeping.
They paint the rainbows
and also the sunsets
and make waves splash
and tug at the tide.
They toss shooting stars
and listen to wishes.
And when they sing windsongs,
they whisper to us,
don't miss me too much.
The view is nice
and I'm doing just fine.

Don't think of him as gone away--
his journey's just begun
life holds so many facets
this earth is only one.
Just think of him as resting
from the sorrows and the tears
in a place of warmth and comfort
where there are no days and years.

Think how he must be wishing
that we could know today
how nothing but our sadness
can really pass away.

And think of him as living
in the hearts of those he touched...
for nobody loved is ever lost--
and he was loved so much.

HJThis, with my deepest sympathy in the loss of your Pops...
and I'm sure he'll come and wink at you in a rainbow form before long....

[EASTER]

I will always REMEMBER with kindest of thoughts AAPlus = ROJAS.
It is still to me like some terrible Dream had happened on hearing of the sad news for the first time, but we all know in reality now that a serious and grievious illness had befallen this incredible and heartwarmimg soul. No one knows perhaps or can possibly understand what he meant to me. I was still very new entering the HJT section of the Forums when AAPlus had returned from a long absence. Never before had i witnessed such zeal as he was able to perform daily in being about the forums as he did. I realize now that he was giving it his very last all in an effort i know will never be repeated again in such way. I am so thankful in that respect to have shared in his work then & that i was also the recipient of many a Forum PM from him when he returned as we exchanged daily and sometimes minute to minute communication and pleasantries along our busy days and nights.

I can often still place myself in those wonderful  minutes we shared together even today and draw some consolation in that there in him always was a real true partner and a understanding friend, that is only untill the realization of the permanent absence sets in again which turns my thoughts again to sorrow.

Thank You ROJAS, your Courage was very evident in those final weeks and days that you put forth your best possible efforts in spite of a debilitating illness that you knew would finally claim your time on this earth from your family. You gave your all thruout day #1 untill the very last reply................

[mitch]

I was one of the many people that he helped in my early days at trying to offer support

he was always there when i needed him, and was that way with everyone
i am not much with fancy words but

AAPluss you were one good man and will be missed by all that you have helped or knew you
farewell my friend

[hayc59]

R.I.P. Rojas
God Bless  :rose:

[roddy32]

I, like Goatie did not know him but I would like to join in the tribute if I may.

[normmork]

AAPlus gave the the LS forum its heart and soul. He set the culture of the forum. Always helpful, patient and kind but above all encouraging everyone even newbies. l remember many times his encouragement to me also the nickname of Bud.

I really do miss him. I wish he could have seen this forum and the team that he helped build with IAMSKINZ. The hours upon hours he spent at the LS forums was incredible. Everytime I had contact with him I always felt better and encouraged. I felt you could really count on him.

I am glad finally that we can pay tribute to him.

[jamesk]

I knew AAPlus only through his posts and the help he gave me once.
He has left many memories for all of his friends (which are many) through his help and caring.

My Condolence to HJThis and his Family in the loss of a loved one.

[Kiwi]

Because of business commitments, I cannot spend as much time here as I would wish, but I must add my tribute to Rojas.

It was his encouragement and humour that gave me the impetus to become involved in trying to help others on the forums, and I know that he gave similar support to many others.

He is very sadly missed.

[Felburg]

I knew AAPlus only through his posts and the help he gave me once.
He has left many memories for all of his friends (which are many) through his help and caring.

My Condolence to HJThis and his Family in the loss of a loved one.

That's the same with me.

[GR@PH;<'S]

Rojas
We (Netty & I) have lost a dear friend who will remain in our hearts for ever.

Good night my friend.
Hammy

[Eric the Red]

Rojas - fond memories.

He was the one who patiently mentored me as a helper on Lavasoftsupport and it was he who convinced me that I could hack it as a Moderator there.

I miss him.

[FatsGordon]

I haven't treated Rojas much in LS, but it's always sad when valuable people like him leave us. I only hope he's in peace and resting now, and his memory will remain in our hearts and minds.

[canuk]

Way, way back in the old (and happier) days at LS, I joined the board due to a problem I was having with AdAware and what it had found. I was a newbie, only had my pc for about 6 months at that point. I was way to shy to post my question on the board, so I pm'd an administrator (he shall remained unnamed). Well I received a nasty pm back asking how dare I interrupt him like that, and in some pretty nasty words told me to use the F-ing board. Wow I was thrown for a loop there. Well I thought I don't want anything to do with this place or the program if that is how they treat people.

Well I gave it another try, this time pm-ing someone named AAPlus. Wow what a difference. I received the most pleasant helpful and humorous reply you could imagine, and solved my problem at the same time. We started communicating by PM and became friends and he eventually introduced me to IAMSKINZ (Jerry) and Melanie. I watched carefully as these three moderators conducted themselves and what their answers were and one day I decided to answer a question myself. To my surprise the answer was correct, and there in my PM box were two messages. One from Rojas and one from Jerry congratulating me and encouraging me to keep up the good work. If I had a question I couldn't answer, Rojas was always there to help me and patiently explain to me why I was telling the user this or the other. If he wasn't available, he contacted Jerry and he helped me. Eventually we became like the three mouseketeers. Always on the board, and helping each other keep the board under control.

Then one night I received an email asking me if I would consider becoming a Moderator. I almost fell out of my chair. After much thought, and encouragement from Rojas I accepted. One day a short while after this, I noticed Rojas hadn't been on the board for an unusual length of time. By this time Jerry and I had also developed a close friendship and I guess he felt I could be told the reason for Rojas' periodic absenses.....he was fighting cancer. I was devastated!! Such a wonderful, caring young man and a friend was seriously ill.

I watched thru the next couple years how Rojas would come on the boards and fight through what I knew was excruciating pain help users with the same intensity, respect and humor. If those people he was assisting knew what he had to do just to get on the board, let alone help them they would have been amazed and inspired.

Well ironically, about a year after being made a Mod, I too was diagnosed with cancer. That is when I started to realize first hand what Rojas must be going thru. Well I thought to myself I would do what Rojas did, keep on truckin' and doing the best you can with integrithy and a smile.

I was asked to become an Administrator while in the middle of receiving radiation and chemotherapy treatments. I thought to myself I can't do this what if I screw up someione's machine because of the drugs and overalll weakness. Then I thought of Rojas. And I realized I could do it like he inspired me. Do it when you can, with calm, integrity, and humour the same as him so I stayed on until the end of the forums (but that's another story).

I appologize for the long rambling here but this was the only way I could show all of those here that didn't know Rojas, how he inspired me and taught me to just keep on keeping on.

We will become a team again someday Rojas and I, I firmly believe that. So here is a message for you buddy.....until that time comes, rest peacefully in Gods' arms knowing you have a wonderful son carrying on your work helping users fix their computers and a group of wonderfull teammates missing you terribly.