Beloved Greater Victoria radio host, Dylan Willows, who signed off his last on-air broadcast on Feb. 15 due to advancing cancer, is being celebrated at the Royal Theatre on March 19.
Willows was a radio broadcaster for 22 years, spending two decades on The Zone 91.3. At 25, he was diagnosed with uveal melanoma, a rare form of ocular cancer that eventually took his eye. Despite beating the cancer, it re-emerged last year, coming back aggressively and reaching Stage 4.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 now facing very limited time and unfortunately that time canB次元官网网址檛 be spent at the radio station here anymore,B次元官网网址� Willows said on air on his last day on The Zone.
Willows, or B次元官网网址淏ig DB次元官网网址� as many affectionately call him, was the director of The ZoneB次元官网网址檚 Band of the Month program which promoted countless Victoria acts.
Many of those artists are uniting to make the fundraiser a heartfelt night to remember, with Jon and Roy, Miina, Astrocolor (duo set), The Bankes Brothers, Vince Vaccaro, Liinks, Acres of Lions, Tyler Harvey and Mike Hann, and Deep Sea Gypsies set to perform.
Proceeds will go to Willows and his family.
The fundraiser takes place at the Royal Theatre, with the venue donated by The Royal and McPherson Theatres Society.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 our way of saying thank you to Big D, for two decades of service to the local music community via V.I.C. Fest (which he co-founded) and the Capital Ballroom (which he co-owned) to his tenure at The Zone,B次元官网网址� read the press release.
Tickets cost $34.75-$58 and go on sale Thursday (Feb. 29) at 11 a.m. through the Royal McPherson box office 250-386-6121 or . Doors are at 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m. for the all-ages fundraiser.
Celebrating Dylan Willows
Since his announcement on air, fans, friends, family and other community members have expressed their grief and gratitude for the radio host.
B次元官网网址淲e never met Dylan. We donB次元官网网址檛 have a friendship. Yet, my wife and I are in tears listening to his goodbye as if he was a friend. For the past 10+ years, we listened to him and Jason every morning. He brought so much laughter and joy to our mornings,B次元官网网址� said Reddit user hook_falls.
B次元官网网址淚 woke up and looked forward to listening to you. You are an amazing human. Loved by many and you certainly have left your mark on the world,B次元官网网址� said Rob McNutt on Facebook.
Willows has been an advocate for cancer, joining the Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock team in 2008 and speaking openly about his battles, something listeners have appreciated.
B次元官网网址淎s someone living with cancer, IB次元官网网址檓 so grateful that Dylan has chosen to be public with his diagnosis,B次元官网网址� said Reddit user emslo. B次元官网网址淭oo many times people fear being open about having cancer, and we only find out after theyB次元官网网址檝e passed away. This is how we fight stigma, build compassion, and grow as a society.B次元官网网址�
Jason Lamb, who Willows co-hosted with for 16 years, was by WillowsB次元官网网址� side on-air when he made the difficult announcement as both fought through tears.
B次元官网网址淲e just had something right away you and me. We didnB次元官网网址檛 do radio the regular way and IB次元官网网址檓 never going to have that again,B次元官网网址� Lamb said. B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 know what IB次元官网网址檓 going to do. IB次元官网网址檓 really going to miss you.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淛ust know that the two of us have always held each other in the highest regard and loved each other so much off the air and on the air,B次元官网网址� Willows said to listeners.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e dedicated my entire life to being on the radio and donB次元官网网址檛 regret one millisecond of it,B次元官网网址� he said in his closing remarks. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 all about love, it really is and thatB次元官网网址檚 all we need to focus on.B次元官网网址�
