Pediatric Surgery professor at the Medical School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Giannis Spiridakis, passed away yesterday, Sunday, at the age of 69.

The funeral service will take place today at 13:30 at the Church of Saint Basil (Allatini), while the burial will be held at the Anastasis Tou Kyriou Cemetery. In a post on social media, his wife, former Deputy Mayor of Thessaloniki Efi Theodoraki, wrote:

“On the day he proposed to me, 20 years ago, he told me he wanted to be by my side until he closed his eyes. Our life had difficulties and at least 15 years with serious health problems, yet our path remained shared until the end.

I cared for him as much as I could and, as happens with people, the more we care for someone the more we become connected, we love more deeply and we feel the loss more painfully.

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Farewell, Giannis. In our own way we were always there for one another.”

His brother Vasilis also wrote in a post:

“You fought battles, often lasting many hours, performing surgery on children. I am sure many of them will be grateful to you for saving their lives. Unfortunately, my brother, you could not save your own life from the illness that struck you unexpectedly and progressed so rapidly at the age of 69. Your family lost a beloved husband and father, the Medical School of AUTH an outstanding professor, and I lost half of myself. Goodbye, my brother.”