Belize Mourns Passing of Veteran Journalist and Musician Fem Cruz

Belize’s media sector has lost yet another household name.  Veteran media correspondent, musician, and former Love News correspondent Brother Eufemio “Fem” Cruz passed away.  Known simply as “Fem” to listeners and colleagues alike, Cruz was a familiar voice on Belize’s airwaves for many years. As Love News’ correspondent in Belmopan and surrounding communities, he played an important role in keeping Belizeans informed on developments in the nation’s capital and nearby areas. His dedication to community reporting, coupled with his warm personality and humility, earned him the respect of colleagues and the public alike.  We join Belmopan Correspondent LJay Wade for more on this story.

Ljay Wade, Cayo Correspondent: Today the country said goodbye to a Belizean icon. On the 9th of June, Brother Fem Cruz passed away while receiving medical treatment at the Carl Heusner Memorial Hospital in Belize City after suffering an alleged heart attack and stroke earlier in the week. Brother Fem was a prominent member of Plus TV’s morning talk show, “Rise and Shine.” Plus TV’s director, Louis Wade, spoke on the loss of Cruz.

Louis Wade, Director, Plus TV: “Brother Fem became the early face of rise and shine, bringing joy, happiness, music, greetings to tens of thousands of Belizeans across the length and breadth of Belize. He was the one giving birthday greetings, a passage of scripture to encourage people, announcing funerals and that extended into the community because he would be at every wake with his guitar just to be present for people who were struggling in their most difficult time.”
Ljay Wade, Cayo Correspondent: After years of being on TV and being a news correspondent for Love FM, Brother Fem was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, a rare progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects movement. Despite its effects, Brother Fem made it a point to still lend a helping hand wherever he went. Brother Fem was a true Belizean icon who touched the lives of everyone he came in contact with. We at Love FM offer our condolences to the Cruz family.”

Love News also spoke with Fem’s eldest sister, Deborah Cruz, spoke on the health challenges that he had been dealing with.

Deborah Cruz, Sister: “Since Friday when he woke up he didn’t seem too well but he was still eating and walking and talking and stuff like that and on Saturday the same thing but he was sleeping a lot and we never lock his door. So we managed to open his door and when we opened the door I saw him on a foot stool. We took him to the hospital and when we reached to the hospital they put him in an induced coma. We did a CT Scan and they transferred him here at the KHMH. Yesterday evening he was transferred to the KHMH in the ICU and this morning when I came to get an update from the doctor I was waiting in the waiting area and the nurse they were you know seemed like something was occurring in the room and they were in a rush and one of the nurses came in and she put me in a room and she said “Your dad’s heart stopped but we’re trying to work with him.” 

Fem Cruz was 62 years old.