Storyboard artist and animation director William Ruzicka (High Guardian Spice, Onyx Equinox) passed away on February 1, according to information that was posted on a GoFundMe campaign website on Monday. He had been struggling to breathe, and he passed out just as he was getting into his car to drive himself to the emergency room to obtain treatment for his condition.
The Life Memorial event for Ruzicka is being planned for the month of March, and this campaign's goal is to raise money for it. The venue for the memorial service, as well as supper, beverages, and any other costs associated with it will be paid for with the money received. The campaign will make a donation in the name of Ruzicka to a charity, the identity of which will be disclosed at a later date. At the time of going to print, the campaign has successfully raised $8,346 out of its initial goal of $35,000.
Ruzicka was involved in the production of a number of animated programs, including the original series High Guardian Spice and Onyx Equinox for Crunchyroll. In addition to directing the concluding episode of one of the series, he worked on the storyboards for both of those shows. In addition to those projects, Ruzicka was involved in the production of the animated programs Invincible, Blood of Zeus, Star Trek: Lower Decks, and Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight, as well as the animated films Scooby-Doo! The Sword and the Scoob and Wonder Woman: Bloodlines.
Go check out the GoFundMe here.