# Sad news about Isaias Rolando



## gonewild (Jul 16, 2008)

Isaias Rolando has passed away.

*Peru: Man found dead at upscale Lima country club*

I had the pleasure to meet Isaias several times over the last year in Lima. He did not strike me to be the suicide type at all, a very happy and joyfull person in my presence. But he did have fears.


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## NYEric (Jul 16, 2008)

Holy crap! Didn't he predict his own demise [at the hands of nefarious forces] here?!? I hope this wasn't a crime. RIP


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## Scooby5757 (Jul 16, 2008)

OMG! That's horrible.


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## Heather (Jul 16, 2008)

Oh dear. Such tragic news. 

I find myself very emotional over the fact that, despite all of our vast global locations, we can get very attached to all of our regular members here. He will be greatly missed.


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## tocarmar (Jul 16, 2008)

Rest in Peace!!!
My you take care of all the orchids in Heaven!!!!!!  

Tom


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## TutoPeru (Jul 16, 2008)

That is really sad. I never met him, but I was always pleased to read his postings. He did a great job to preserve orchids in Peru.

I just read Peruvian news and police thinks it was an accident, though a local news channel claims they had access to a letter he left appologizing for his decision.

Really sad.... RIP Isaias


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## Ron-NY (Jul 16, 2008)

this is sad news...I have been with him to his club in Lima and have spent time with him both in Peru and here in the States. I am deeply saddened by this news.  I have considered Isaias a friend and we communicated on a regular basis. It was only a few years ago that he lost his wife but he remained active in both his profession, Orchid society and other aspects of his life. he did not seem depressed nor the type to commit suicide.

I shall miss him.


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## Candace (Jul 16, 2008)

Horrible, horrible.


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## Elena (Jul 16, 2008)

Very sad news.


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## SlipperFan (Jul 16, 2008)

Tragic, indeed. Time will tell whether it was by his own hands or others. But Peru orchids have lost a strong advocate.


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## John M (Jul 17, 2008)

This is terrible news for the wild orchids of Peru. I understand that he was a strong and active advocate on their behalf.

"It was only a few years ago that he lost his wife but he remained active in both his profession, Orchid society and other aspects of his life. he did not seem depressed nor the type to commit suicide."

Maybe, after losing his wife, he was just going throught the motions, hoping that the pain of losing his wife would subside and a zest for living his own life would return. People can be very good at concealing their emotional demons and inner pain - especially men; but, in doing so, they are torturing themselves by not dealing with and releasing any of it. Then, one day, they snap. 

However he died, suicide or homicide, I feel very badly for him and the way he must've felt in his last moments. Neither of those things should ever happen, to anyone. This is very sad.


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## Roy (Jul 17, 2008)

Terrible news for sure. I read with great interest the postings written and learnt a lot. I'm sure that the we are all the poorer for his passing. RIP


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## Gilda (Jul 17, 2008)

I am very shocked to hear this ! I got to hear him speak last year at Carter & Holmes about Phrag kovachii. He had pictures on the slide show of his new baby. He had remarried and seemed very happy about the new baby. It is a great loss for the orchid world as well as his family.


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## Ron-NY (Jul 17, 2008)

Yes, his young son is about 8 months old. He also has 2 college age boys. 

I have confirmation from mutual friends, in Peru, that his death was not accidental 

Isaias may you be at peace


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## Wendy (Jul 17, 2008)

Such sad, terrible news. Please keep us updated on how this unfolds.


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## Hien (Jul 18, 2008)

John M said:


> This is terrible news for the wild orchids of Peru. I understand that he was a strong and active advocate on their behalf.
> 
> "It was only a few years ago that he lost his wife but he remained active in both his profession, Orchid society and other aspects of his life. he did not seem depressed nor the type to commit suicide."
> 
> ...


 They say that it will take almost the same amount of time ( that you have been with the person) to recover from a lost of a love one.
I am sure all of us have sometimes experienced the dark night of the soul.
There are times when physical or emotional anguishes seem unbearable.
I hope that our spirits are strong enough to wait it out to the next dawn.


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## Scooby5757 (Jul 18, 2008)

Ron-NY said:


> Yes, his young son is about 8 months old. He also has 2 college age boys.
> 
> I have confirmation from mutual friends, in Peru, that his death was not accidental
> 
> Isaias may you be at peace



Ron that is so creepy.

Where is the thread eric was talking about?


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## Scooby5757 (Jul 18, 2008)

here i think i found it....



isaias m rolando said:


> It is hapening already
> The "others" are acting against my reputation at my university and threatening members of my family. I have a pregnant wife at this moment and she just mentioned to me that the phone and the e-mail are constantly receiving very dirty messages and warnings.
> My friends, family and lawyers consulted recomended me to stop all comunications.
> I deeply regret to decide not to continue with this. I will only stay as an observer.



http://www.slippertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3278&highlight=Rolando&page=7


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## rdlsreno (Jul 18, 2008)

That is sooo sad!!! Very Bad!


Ramon


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## kentuckiense (Jul 18, 2008)

Ron-NY said:


> Yes, his young son is about 8 months old. He also has 2 college age boys.
> 
> I have confirmation from mutual friends, in Peru, that his death was not accidental
> 
> Isaias may you be at peace



Are you saying that he intended to commit suicide or that he was, for lack of a better word, murdered? Either way, the orchid conservation community has lost a very vocal champion of the cause.


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## labskaus (Jul 18, 2008)

That is very sad and tragic. My thoughts are with his family.

May he rest in peace.

Carsten


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## Ron-NY (Jul 18, 2008)

kentuckiense said:


> Are you saying that he intended to commit suicide or that he was, for lack of a better word, murdered? Either way, the orchid conservation community has lost a very vocal champion of the cause.


 Since yesterday, when I was told what drove his decision to end his life, I have received another communication. This is my most recent message:

"The case is under a full police investigation as the suicide´s note showed in a Tv program is a forgery."


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## NYEric (Jul 18, 2008)

He previously posted about threats on the lives of his family. Life is so cheap to some, when profits are involved.


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## Ron-NY (Jul 18, 2008)

Eric, his friends in Peru are not aware of any threats to his life.


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## Ron-NY (Jul 18, 2008)

For those who do not know of Isaias, I have written a memorial release, with help from his friends in Lima, to OGD and will e-mail it to the AOS as well. I will paste a copy here.

Dr. Isaias Rolando was born in Lima, Peru April 7 1956. He obtained a Bachelor degree, in 1984, a Master Degree in Medicine and in 1986 a PhD Degree in Medicine. Ophthalmologist in 1984. 

He has been an orchid hobbyist since January 1972 and in 1985 became a founding member of the Club Peruano de Orquídeas and served as its President from 1988 to 1990. He specialized in growing Cattleya and had the best collection of Cattleya rex and C. maxima in Peru. He made dozens of Cattleya hybrids, some still in the flask. Several orchids were named after him or his first wife, who predeceased him. (Stanhopea marisaiana, Masdevallia marisae, Ada rolandoi)

He completed an internship program at the Mary Selby Botanical Garden in the fall of 1989. In 1988 he was invited by the Minister of Agriculture of Peru to assist in the creation of the ‘Reglamento de Conservación de Orquídeas’, which became law in December of 1991 when signed by President Fujimori.

Since August of 1988 to the present he had been involved in developing an Orchid Garden in the Historical Sanctuary at Macchu Picchu. His work for 20 years in the development of the garden at the Macchu Picchu Pueblo Hotel was awarded by the AOS as an example of conservation in situ.

He has been an International Orchid speaker since 1989, having held conferences in such places as Florida, Georgia, Peru, Japan, Brazil and Canada, to name only a few.

He has been a member of the AOS Information Committee since 1999 and was invited to join the Conservation Committee for the next period. He was also a member of the Orchid Specialist Group/IUCN, representing Peru, since 1999.

His collection of nearly 2000 pictures of Peruvian orchids is one of the most complete documentation of Peru’s native species. 

His last project was installing a rescue center for orchids at the town of San Miguel de Jepelacio, Moyobamba and the study of the Peruvian Vanilla that grows nearby.

His widow is planning to follow his plans.


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## JeanLux (Jul 18, 2008)

Thank you for this information Ron! I did not have the chance to get to know Isaias personally. Nevertheless I am sure that through all of his orchid related activities he will remembered by the orchid-community forever. Jean


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## SlipperFan (Jul 18, 2008)

Thanks, Ron. Very nice tribute.


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## Wendy (Jul 19, 2008)

Well done Ron. I'm sure he would be pleased.


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## WolfDog1 (C. Williams) (May 11, 2009)

I am bumping this thread because I was thinking about Isaias and remembering the 19 WOC in Miami. 

I think we all need to remember those who have made a difference, not only to us personally, but to the world community as well. 

Isaias is being missed by me today. May he rest in peace and his memory live forever. 

Craig


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## SlipperFan (May 11, 2009)

That's interesting -- I was thinking about him today also:
http://www.peruorchids.com/en/index.html


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## JeanLux (May 12, 2009)

thanks a lot for the link Dot!!! Jean


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## SlipperKing (May 12, 2009)

Same here Dot, thanks


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