Console.mihai();

I worked with Mihai (remotely) on the developer tools team when I first joined Mozilla about five years ago. He was one of the most incredibly passionate developers I've ever had the pleasure of working with, and he had an enormous impact on the quality of the developer tools in Firefox. If you've ever used the developer tools, chances are you've interacted with his code; he had a front and center role in the console and was one of the key reasons why Firefox developer tools went from zero to world-class in just a few short years.

This is a very sad moment for everyone. Thanks for everything you did, Mihai.

This was one of the nicest pieces of writing I've seen in a great while, you clearly had huge affection for mihai.

It's strange I never knew mihai or even that he existed, I've noticed the FF developer tools and console get hugely better over time and it never occurred to me to think about who was behind that.

I have a medical condition that may well land me in a wheelchair in time to come but even that pales in comparison to EB, I get paid in the next few days and will donate to honour a man I never knew who did the thing that he loved.

I've been developing a free chrome extension called Hands Free for Chrome that lets you navigate Chrome using just your voice; that idea was that people with conditions like Mihai's would use it to more easily interact with the web.

However, only about 500 people use it despite that there are far more than that who could find a use for it. I'm not sure how to make it more known and get it into more people's hands. If anyone has any advice, please email me at [redacted].

Reading articles like this just really reminds me how important accessibility tools can be for some individuals.

I remember interviewing Mihai when he was joining Mozilla. It was a bit hard to understand him over the phone at first (I didn't know about the EB at the time), but he was undeniably smart and knew his stuff.

Mihai was a truly amazing person who accomplished so much despite his hard life. I'm reminded of him any time the Tron soundtrack comes up when I'm shuffling my music because Mihai one day randomly praised it on IRC. You couldn't tell how much effort Mihai had to put into every little thing day-to-day because he was every bit a member of the team.

RIP Mihai and thanks for being such an inspiring person.

Thanks for the touching post - it's always good to hear these human stories about the people who write the software we use every day.

I have a question though - the post does not mention Mihai having passed away but has a mournful tone. A commenter on the blog post said 'rest in peace'. Is Mihai retiring from development due to illness, or has he indeed passed away?

A friend of a friend has this disease. It was shocking the first time we met. She has to be covered from head to toe to help avoid injury from bumping into things. Her voice is hoarse and raw. Her fingers have worn off, down to mere nubs.

But she gets around without too much assistance. She feeds herself, using what's left of her fingers. And she doesn't complain.

When I feel sorry for myself because not everything in my life has gone the way I hoped it might, I think of her and realize I really have it pretty easy.

I'm the author of the blog post. I've updated it to add that Mihai died recently.

Over a decade ago, i worked in a lab that was trying to develop a gene therapy for DEB. It's particularly tough, because you need to replace the collagen VII gene, which is pretty big:

http://www.omim.org/entry/120120

That lab doesn't seem to have published anything since i left, but the broader project is still slowly grinding forward:

http://www.genegraft.eu/

My mom is an RN at Lucille Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford (LPCH) and she's been working with kids who have EB and other rare genetic skin conditions for many years now.

About 5 years ago I had the chance to meet one of her patients, a young man with EB. The brutality of living/existing with this condition is striking and severe.

Imagine the driest and itchiest your skin has ever felt and multiply it by a few orders of magnitude, then apply that sensation across your entire body. That is what it is like all the time having EB. Except even worse because of the scarring that builds up over time.

Mihai sounds like an incredible individual who didn't let ANYTHING stop him from doing what he loved. What remarkable inspiration for the rest of us!

My internet connection at home has been down for 3 days and I've been grumpy and proclaiming that it's the end of the world.

What the hell am I thinking - the unimaginable courage to live a full, productive life with a debilitating condition like Mihai had sure puts thing in perspective.

Thank you for teaching me a lot today.

That's was touching. After reading I checked Firefox to see if console.mihai(); was indeed a method but it is not. Perhaps a small easter egg could be added so it becomes a method as a little tribute since he worked so much on making it better?

For those of you watching hockey recently, that's the same disease that Jonathon Pitre has, the kid who has become an honorary scout for the Ottawa Senators.

Some more detail on how he managed to type despite his condition: http://swiftkey.com/en/blog/how-swipe-typing-makes-communica...

Thank you for the great work, Mihai!

It will be a beautiful time when people don't have to suffer like this. Medical technology can't advance quickly enough.

http://ebresearch.org/

I highly recommend this documentary about EB and the great life and death of Jonny Kennedy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dmahlc6n9_A

I did not know about EB.

donated to one of the organizations listed at the end of Mihai's post http://mihai.sucan.ro/mihai/blog/thanks

Wow. Mihai's story is at once humbling and inspiring.

As a web developer who has used the fruits of his hard work in Firefox, I will remember him when I think that my job or life is difficult. I really have nothing to complain about.

this is a great human story

they should add `console.mihai()` ala easter egg, and proud recognition

Să trăieşti frate.

Very moving writing. Thank you Mihai!

Very inspiring person. It's unfortunate,most of us are unaware of this person.

On his blog he said (http://mihai.sucan.ro/mihai/blog) > We want you and others to know us by our work, our achievements,

Yes, we came to know you for your work and achievement. Great work Mihai. Thanks for your contributions to opensource world. RIP

Thank you, Mihai.

This humanity here is the power of Free Software. Thanks for all your involvement in any way as users and contributers.

Mihai, we will remember you by what you have done and accomplished.

RIP

thank you (truly); and peace be with you always.

RIP Mihai.

RIP. mihai