Internationally-respected Disney historian Jim Korkis has passed away at the age of 72 after suffering a series of serious medical issues.

Disney Historian Jim Korkis Passes Away

Mark Goldhaber, the organizer of the GoFundMe created to help with Korkis’ household and medical bills, shared the news via a post on Facebook.

Friends, I am heartbroken to have to inform you that our friend Jim Korkis passed away this morning. He was unresponsive this morning at the rehab center and was transported to the hospital. His brother Mike was able to arrive a few minutes before Jim passed. While Jim could not respond, Mike said that Jim appeared to be able to hear him, and he was able to talk to Jim for those last few minutes.

Jim had been feeling good this week, and there was really no indication that things would take a turn for the worse. He did not appear to be in any pain, and went quickly and quietly as he had wished.

Korkis’ passing comes after a series of medical concerns that were uncovered after an accident in his home in February of this year. Treatment for his fall led to the discovery of multiple major arterial blockages, which in turn led to an unexpected quadruple bypass heart surgery. Korkis also contracted COVID-19 while in receovery, and found that he had stage four inoperable colon cancer that had spread to his liver.

To help aid with the medical and household bills that came while Korkis was unable to work, a GoFundMe was set up to alleviate those financial burdens. The goal is $60,000, and, at the time of writing, $41,261 has been raised across 648 donations.

Korkis has written thousands of articles and dozens of books on Disney history, including “The Unofficial Walt Disney World 1971 Companion: Stories of How the World Began,” and “The Vault of Walt” series.

A memorial for Jim will be held at a date and time to be determined. The memorial will be held via Zoom so attendees elsewhere in the U.S. and oversees can attend. Details will be shared once the event is planned.

In his update, Goldhaber thanked those who had already donated, and offered an update on how the funds will be used.

To those of you who contributed to this GoFundMe, thank you! Your contributions and messages of support gave life and light to Jim over these last several weeks. He was astonished to see how many people loved him. The remaining balance will be used to help pay off his final medical bills.

If you have the means to donate to Jim Korkis’ GoFundMe, or wish to share it so that others may donate as well, you can do that here.

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