Rob Laakso, a guitarist with Kurt Vile & The Violators and the Swirlies, died on Thursday after battling an aggressive form of cancer called Cholangiocarcinoma. He was 44. The news was confirmed by Laakso’s wife, Mamie-Claire Cornelius, who posted a tribute on Instagram. “You are the light of my life and the only slightest sliver of peace I have is that you are no longer in pain. We’ll be dreaming of you every night until we see you again,” Cornelius wrote. Friends and family had also been providing periodic updates via a GoFundMe that had been set up to help cover Laakso’s treatment.

Cornelius’ full tribute is below:

My darling dear, the children ran into the house after school yesterday searching for you, excited to tell you about their day. Lou made a drawing for you and Gus learned scientist are getting closer to creating real light sabers. I was rehearsing the news in my mind for hours but I wasn’t ready still. Gus asked where you were and when I dropped to my knees he knew what I was going to say. He told me he was thinking about you all day hoping you felt good. Lou later told me she knew you went to heaven while she was at school. I asked her how she knew but she just smiled. She is angry. Gus is teary. I am lost without you but I promise I’ll find our way and I promise to make you proud. Thank you for giving me the most beautiful life, the most loving and beautiful children and for believing in me every day. You are the light of my life and the only slightest sliver of peace I have is that you are no longer in pain. We’ll be dreaming of you every night until we see you again.
Robert Daniel Laakso 4.16.79 – 5.4.23
I love you, I love you, I love you.

Originally from Massachusetts, Laakso graduated from Emerson College’s audio program in 2001. In addition to his work with the Violators (replacing the War On Drugs’ Adam Granduciel in 2011) and the Boston-based Swirlies, Laakso was an audio engineer, producer, and composer. He performed and engineered all instruments for the theme song of Cartoon Network’s Superjail! and had also worked on audio projects for Google, Apple, Adidas, and Epic Records.

“We love you, Mamie, Gus, and Lou + will miss Doc forever,” the Swirlies commented on Cornelius’ Instagram tribute.