Marin Independent Journal Thursday, June 14, 2001 Section C, page 2 ANDRE JOSEPH BOLEN Died at home in Mill Valley in his sleep at age 29 on June 4, 2001, of complications from a spinal cord injury and Neurofibromatosis-2 - a rare medical condition in which nonmalignant tumors grow on the auditory and other cranial and peripheral nerves. Beloved son of Jean Shinoda Bolen, M.D., Mill Valley, and James Bolen, Larkspur, and brother of Melody Bolen, San Francisco. Graduated from Tamalpais High School, attended Pitzer College, Claremont, Calif., and College of Marin. Played bass, and also attended Berklee School of Music, Boston, and California Recording Institute prior to hearing loss. Surgery in October 2000 to remove auditory neurofibroma and placement of auditory brainstem implant was successful in restoring hearing. He was always his own person, an original, listening to his own drummer and following his own heart beat, not simply doing what was required to get ahead, but doing what most mattered intrinsically to him. He dealt with his progressive physical disabilities and ordeals with courage, grace, intelligence, patience and humor. A Memorial Celebration of his life was held on June 13 in Mill Valley. In his memory, donations can be sent to the House Ear Institute (for Auditory Brainstem Implant Research), 2100 West Third Street, Los Angeles, CA 90057. -------------------------- An obituary was also published in the Marin Independent Journal on Wednesday, June 13, 2001, Section C, page 1. It featured a photograph.