It’s always alarming when somebody passes away and you didn’t expect it. People around the world are now feeling that way after the death of Prince Frederik of Luxembourg.
Prince Frederik of Luxembourg passed away on March 1 at the age of 22. He was the youngest son of Prince Robert and Princess Julie of Nassau. His death is attributed to complications from a rare genetic disorder, POLG Mitochondrial disease.
His father made the announcement on the POLG Foundations website. Frederik had personally started the foundation to raise awareness for the disease and to build a culture around it.
Frederik was born with a condition and as he got older, his symptoms became more pronounced. This led to a diagnosis when he was 14 years old. Individuals who suffer from POLG Mitochondrial disease have problems producing energy on a cellular level. This can lead to progressive organ dysfunction.
Even though Frederik has been through many challenges, he continued to look at life in a positive way and to maintain his sense of humor. His experience with the condition allowed him to form the POLG Foundation with the goal of finding a cure.
Frederik’s health began to decline in his final days. On February 28, which is Rare Disease Day, his family gathered around to say goodbye to him. Even though he was weak, he still shared a personal message with each family member and shared a joke.
Prince Robert expressed how proud he was of his son and all of his accomplishments. He then told us Frederik’s last question to him: “Papa, are you proud of me?”
Even though his life was cut short, he did what he could to make changes for the better. He was able to deal with the physical and mental issues associated with the disease because he had a ‘lust for life.’
Even though Frederik has passed away, the POLG Foundation will continue with its mission of raising awareness of POLG Mitochondrial disease.
He will be missed by all who knew him. May he rest in peace.
