GW Chuck continued working even after his illness was diagnosed in 1999.

SCHULDINER This is hard for me. I will say that he worked intermittently throughout his illness, as much as he possibly could. He drove himself unmercifully that last year with the last Control Denied album. We worried so much about him and begged him to rest, that it was good enough. As the perfectionist he is, he said it was just okay and that wasn’t good enough for him or his fans. And he would go on until he couldn’t anymore, and he really mourned that he couldn’t finish it.

GW It must have been tough for Chuck once he realized that you might lose the second of your two sons.

SCHULDINER After losing Frank, he worried so about what it would do to the three of us - Beth, Christopher and myself - to lose him. I promised him we would do the best we could if he were to lose that fight and that is what we are trying to do, keep that promise. Chuck was the one who never gave up, who instilled hope and love in those all around him and he never cursed fate. Chuck’s steadfast hope for the future and his family, friends, and the many fans who wrote to him sustained him.

GW Did the doctors ever give you a reason for Chuck’s illness?

SCHULDINER They determined that he had that tumor from childhood, with no symptoms at all to alert us through the years.

GW It’s nice that you stay in touch with Chuck’s fans.

SCHULDINER I still receive so many emails from Chuck’s fans and I know from them that Chuck’s legacy will be that he is remembered not only as a great musician but as someone who made, and continues to make, a difference in their lives. He inspires them still and I receive many emails from young fans 11 years old and up. Just think, another generation is discovering Chuck’s music. He would be so proud.

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