"Dr Mendez helped saved my life from stage-4 salivary gland cancer in 2015. Despite the surgery carrying a high risk of permanent facial nerve damage, Dr. Mendez skillfully extracted my tumor avoiding that outcome. My family is forever grateful for all that Dr. Mendez did for us. May we all find inspiration from his great legacy. With our deepest condolence, Carl & Sue Lim."
In loving memory of
Eduardo Mendez
July 30, 1972 - January 5, 2018
Eduardo (Eddie) Méndez, born in San Juan, Puerto Rico on July 30, 1972, died peacefully with his wife and family at his side on January 5, 2018 after a courageous two and a half year fight against cancer. Eddie graduated valedictorian of his high school class at San Ignacio (San Juan, PR) in 1990, and graduated from Princeton University in 1994. Following college, he attended the University of Maryland Medical School, graduating cum laude in 1999. He completed residency in Otolaryngology followed by a Head and Neck Oncology and Microvascular Reconstruction Fellowship at the University of Washington. He joined the Department of Otolaryngology at the University of Washington as an Assistant Professor in 2006, rising up the ranks to Professor in 2018. He was co-director of Head and Neck Oncology Program at the University of Washington, Director of the Advanced Head and Neck Surgical Oncology Fellowship Program, and Director of the Head and Neck Translational Research Program at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
Eddie dedicated his entire career to the treatment of Head and Neck cancer, and he has improved the lives of countless patients with head and neck cancer through his surgical abilities and his research advances. He was the first head and neck surgeon to provide minimally invasive robotic surgery in Washington State. He not only performed these procedures with deftness, but he was instrumental in disseminating his knowledge and skills through training of others. He maintained an NIH-funded research laboratory at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, where he studied the drivers of head and neck cancer and mentored many research fellows. His basic science studies led to the first clinical trial of a drug that holds enormous potential to transform the treatment options and offer hope for those with advanced Head and Neck cancer. He has received numerous awards, including an American Cancer Society Find Cures Award. Aside from his professional successes, Eddie was an amazing and humble man who felt that fulfillment comes from the service your work provides others - and his was a very fulfilling life. He was a warm, funny, and loving man. He loved his career, his friends, his colleagues, but most of all his family. He was a loving dad (PapÃ) who enjoyed playing tennis, watching movies, dancing salsa, and being silly with his girls. He especially took immense joy from his children's talents and happiness. He is survived by his wife, Anne Manicone; daughters, Emma and Julia; brothers, George, Bobby, and Alfonso Méndez; sister, Maria Elena Ray; and mother, Belkys Méndez. He leaves behind many who love and miss him. In honor of Eddie, an endowment is being established in his name to help continue his legacy and work in Head and Neck cancer. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the University of Washington, Department of Otolaryngology, Eduardo Méndez Endowment, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Box 356515, Seattle, WA 98195. A celebration of his life will occur at Washelli Funeral Home, 11111 Aurora Avenue North, Seattle, WA on January 10, 2018 at 5 pm.
Tributes
"Dear Méndez Family, I am so sorry for your loss. I was fortunate to have Dr. Mendez as my surgeon for neck cancer. He was a gift from God for so many of us and I'll never forget how he helped me."
"To the Mendez Family, I am so honored that I had the privilege to work with and learn from Dr. Eddie Mendez over the last 18 years ! He was an exceptional Physician, Surgeon and Educator who contributed much to his field of interest. May you rest in peace and comfort - you will be missed. I hope your family and friends can find comfort and resolve. D.Buckley"
"I was very saddened to hear of Dr. Mendez's passing. I worked with him on an upcoming head and neck cancers symposium, and while he was a valuable planner for us, it seems from his obituary and the comments by others that he was an incredible human being, doctor, and friend. I'm truly sorry I won't meet him at the symposium next month, and I'm very sorry for your loss. I pray that your family and friends find peace and comfort beyond all understanding."
"Dear Mendez family, After I was diagnosed with cancer, Dr Mendez performed two surgeries on me that helped saved my life. I was able to give my daughter away at her wedding which may not have happened without him and I will be grateful and remember him for the rest of my life. He was a shining light of hope for me every time we met and I know he will be terribly missed by all. I am so sorry for your loss. - M. Parker"
"Eddie (Dr. Mendez) helped save my life in 2010 after I was diagnosed with throat cancer (stage 4 sized tumor). He was so skilled as a surgeon and so warm as a human being. I will be forever grateful to him for his efforts and beautiful performance. I will remember him first as a compassionate human being who treated me and my family with the utmost respect and kindness. May you be comforted in your loss. I will be thankful to Eddie for the rest of my life. --L. Smith"
"Eddie was the best of all of us and what we want to be- it all matters: every conversation, every touch, every feeling. What a gift it all is, all of it. "
"Anne, Emma and Julia I am so so sorry for your loss. Eddie was one of the best people I have ever known and I will truly be grateful for the fact that I got to know such a fantastic human being. Eddie was a fantastic surgeon and a great friend. I trusted him so much that I asked him to operate on my daughter and he did without hesitation, and I was never worried. I have known him since the beginning of his residency and watched him grow into a fantastic surgeon and wonderful teacher I am so very proud of him, and know that he loved you more than anything. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Shannon moody "
"I loved being around Eddie. When Eddie saw you, he lit up and pulled you in to his energy, his joy. Anyone who has every been around him, knows just this feeling. HIs patients felt it, his colleagues felt it. It always made a difference. We have all been fortunate to have felt his impact on our lives - and I hope it lives on through his girls and his family. My thoughts and prayers are with the entire Mendez family. Nicole Maronian"
"As the Physician Assistant at the VA Otolaryngology Clinic for 15 years, I saw many residents from the beginning of their training through completion 4 years later. Every few years there was a star, and Eddie was one of those. From the very start, he showed skill, judgement, insight and, compassion. Every day working with him was a pleasure and remembering him always brings a smile. There are no words to adequately express my sorrow at our loss of a remarkable man. Raylene Canby"
"Anne, Emma, and Julia, There are no words that can take away your pain. It is just wrong that his passing so early in his brilliant life brings such sadness because he brought so much joy to all around him. He was an amazing person and all at once warm, engaging, unassuming, compassionate, and hilarious. Every time I saw him at a meeting or during a visit to Seattle, it was like we were residents together all over again, with his uncanny ability to re-energize others. We were all blessed to have crossed paths with Eddie. My thoughts are with you. Eric"
"As his former resident and trainee, I am forever grateful for his generous teaching, humor, and warmth, and the inspiration he gave all of us. He always lit up extra brightly when talking about you, his wonderful family. Thank you for sharing Eddie with us. With my deepest condolences and sympathies in this time of great loss, Stephanie Misono"
"Dear Mendez Family, This is such a hard time for all but especially his family. I give you my sympathy and prayers going through this hard time. I was Eddie's Coordinator for years, since his residency. It has been very hard watching him through the last couple of years and had to get a hug from him ever so often. Loved his smile and sense of humor. As our last email conversation a couple of weeks ago, I told him I remember the Resident that came in looking like a deer in the headlights, but also so eager to get moving on surgery and research!! And that he did! Wish he could have continued his research and found a cure for this ugly disease. But he has started something and other people will continue for him. To the girls, he spoke of you often and loved so much being a Dad!! He will be watching over you the rest of your lives!! God Bless, Barb Geng"
"Dear Anne, Emma and Julia, In this sorrowful time we stop to reflect on what our beloved Eddie brought to our lives. From the moment I met him it was obvious that integrity was the quality that made him special. He cared deeply about his chosen field, about his patients, but above all, about you. I was blessed with the privilege of watching Eddie hone his God-given skills. He never stopped working to make himself a better surgeon and a more sophisticated research scientist and in doing so he became a leader. And all the while he was a bright eyed, challenging and humorous friend. Emma and Julia, in the coming years you will look back on these tributes and you should know that in the academic life your mother and father have chosen, excellence is an expectation. You may take to heart that his colleagues who have expressed their grief and their love do so because of their intense respect for your dad's remarkable accomplishments and for his humble humanism that brightened our lives every day. Alice and I will treasure his memory and we wish you peace, Ernie Weymuller "
"Dr. Mendez - "Eddie" - will be remembered with love, respect, admiration, and gratitude by many people. He touched us all - as a scientist, devoted clinician and surgeon, and as an exceptional colleague and friend. I am and will remain honored to have been able to work with him and enjoy his quiet and respectful demeanor, his professionalism, and as always, the gentleman in him. I join now with others - family and friends, colleagues, patients - in honoring his memory and in our collective expression of sorrow and loss. I will miss him deeply. So very very sorry for your loss. Heaven is made better by his presence there. Sincerely and with deep respect, Leslie Sandberg "
"To Anne, and to all of your family, I have no words to express the depth of our sorrow. I cannot fathom losing a spouse, a son, a father so young. Eddie has been a light in my life too, and the room came alive when he was there. He always managed to make everyone happier and everything better. An amazing surgeon, an incredible scientist, but above all one of the best human beings and inspirations I will ever have the fortune of knowing. Thank you for allowing us to visit last week, it was so meaningful to us and I hope we brought a little joy to him. We have you, your girls, and his mom and siblings in all of our thoughts and prayers. Bevan and Teresa"
"Anne and girls, I am deeply sorry for your loss. Eddie was such a wonderful person, and smart as they come. I enjoyed working with him and am saddened, as are so many, by his passing. Saying prayers for you all, for peace in this difficult time of loss. Peg Radford, RN in UW OTO clinic"
"To Anne and all of you fortunate enough to have crossed paths with Ed, Ed was truly one of the "good guys". We shared a passion for surgery and science that was the source of a unique bond. I fondly remember the many hours spent discussing both with Ed in the UW ORs, often late at night. I had great respect for Ed as a surgeon, scientist, friend and compassionate physician. As an actual patient of Ed's and a colleague I always trusted him to do the right things. I missed our collegiality, collaborations and friendship greatly when I relocated to Houston but I always envisioned us catching up when I was in town. I am blessed to have known Ed and will forever remember his cheerful demeanor and giggling in the OR and his smiling face looking down on me from that marketing mural plastered around at UWMC. Ed- you're the best. Bob Rostomily"
"Dear Anne, It was such a privilege to visit you and Eddie last week. His love for you and his family was so evident over the nearly 20 years I have known him. His tremendous legacy of compassionate and innovative care for his current patients, and his passion for research and helping discover ways to help future patients was truly remarkable. The field will miss his leadership and vision and I will miss him terribly as a close friend. You and the girls will be in my thoughts and prayers. Warmly, Greg Farwell"