Monday, November 08, 2010

Rene Beresford (23/12/1928 - 24/10/2010)

Rene Beresford has moved on. He quit his earthly shackles barely 2 weeks ago, and no doubt finds himself in a space and time of peace and wonder.



For those of you that don't know Rene, he was the founder of the Australian based Fruitarian Network, and toward the end of the 80s and throughout much of the 1990s edited and produced a small informal quarterly newsletter, which was surely an inspiration and encouragement for many world wide, with many wise written words and testimonies on the benefits of the fruit only diet.

Rene was 2 months short of becoming 82, and and surely wasn't having an easy time toward the end, with failing eyesight and mobility problems, I've been told he died with a body riddled with cancer..

A fruitarian dieing of cancer? Yes, that would puzzle me too if it were strictly true. I mean, it's not that I categorically rule out the possibility of a fruitarian with cancer, as there can be other contributing factors besides food intake leading to such physiological situations, but sadly I believe Rene, being originally of dutch decent and background, growing up through Europe in the 2nd world war, suffering many hardships and no doubt other tough life experiences, did not adopt his fruitarian ideas until quite late in life, and despite his seeming conviction to fruitarianism, Rene himself had difficulty putting his own beliefs and philosophies consistently into practise. So, much as he was undoubtedly dedicated to spreading the truth about food, he himself never truly sought out the correct nurturing environment and surroundings to allow integration of such ideas fully into his own life.

I last met the guy toward the end of the 1990s, but had a decent chat with him on the phone barely 7 or 8 months ago.. He expressed at the time some frustration that he had not come to fruitarianism earlier in his life, and wished to indicate that his ails were not at all stemming from a fruit diet, - something I'm sure he'd wish to be made known to any puzzled followers.

In honour of the fellow, there will be a small memorial held this coming sunday (14th November) at 16:00, on the northern end of Trinity beach (Cairns, Australia), anyone who knew him, or of him, is welcome to attend, just bring along an item of fruit or 2 to share, and enjoy the picnic.

Rene's newsletter was most definitely a comfort for me as I myself struggled sticking with fruit and even raw, and it helped to read of and share experiences with others through the informal newsletter, and know that I was far from alone with those struggles (in those pre-internet days, such fruitarian magazines were about the only way we had of connecting with other like minds!). So I'd like to personally thank Rene for being there and being an often voice of reason.

Wherever you're at, enjoy the fruits of your labour Rene!

7 comments:

Anne said...

Rest In Peace Dear Rene ♥
I met Rene in Sydney towards the end of 2000, he was a Beautiful Person with lovely energy and presence.
It was a joy to meet with him after several years of reading 'The Fruitarian Network News' (which Rene produced)
I used to get so excited when the newletter arrived in England all the way from sunny Australia.

I canno make the memorial, but we will be thinking of him ♥

Thank you Mango for posting such a nice tribute, and such a beautiful photo of Rene.

Love and Peaches,
from Anne XX♥♥

Katie Jugowitz said...

Hi there Mango,

I met Rene earlier this year at a raw food workshop. he was just amazing and I am sad he past away....

Will you be attending the memorial

Fruitarian Mango said...

hi all,
thanks anne,
katie, no definite guarantee at this point, but it does look likely that kveta and I will be there.
piece,
mango.

Mr. Zed said...

I don't know if this is relevant to this case, but the medical establishment is regularly "diagnosing" cancer as the cause of death, even when the cancer has only occured AFTER the death has taken place and had nothing to do with the death itself. It ties in with the insistence of the medical establishment to have a well-defined "cause" for every death, cardiovascular disease is also dubiously put down sometimes.

Fruity Jules said...

Dear Mango . . . Thank you for this beautiful and loving tribute to Rene. I appreciate the way you are so kind, compassionate, and generous.

I didn't know Rene, but now I do know more about him and am grateful for the early work he did for all of us. We can surely all understand the challenges one faces!

Bless his heart. ♥

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Unknown said...

I was part of the 1980s Sydney Fruitarian movement in which Rene took on the role of as Coordinator and Newsletter editor. I am surprised by Rene's cancer diagnosis and wonder what's the future holds for us lesser adherents. He was a sweet man and really felt he was leading a pathway to better health and well being.He wasn't just concerned with diet during the middle period of his sojourn but was deeply concerned with spiritual healing and growth. I visited him once in North Queensland in the 1990s. Although I sensed his social isolation he loved it there with its tropical warmth and fruit availability. Vale Rene Beresford.