Maltese radio is mourning the loss of Justin Chircop, 32, who dedicated his life to exploring all the facets of the broadcasting world he had a passion for.
"He always dreamed about radio. He started as a DJ in nightclubs but eventually started cutting down on that when we got married and had our daughter Sarah... He worked very hard to achieve his dream," Mr Chircop's wife, Isabel, recalled.
His dream was to set up his own radio station, which he managed to do last June when Vibe FM was launched.
Mr Chircop died of complications caused by swine flu on Monday night. The government said he was suffering from a condition that could aggravate lung infections. He was the fourth person to die of the virus in Malta.
His death saddened the broadcasting community especially as, throughout his career, Mr Chircop worked in various television and radio stations and gained experience he channelled into Vibe FM.
"He truly had a passion for every aspect of radio," Terry Farrugia, his friend and colleague at Vibe FM, said.
"At least, he got to see his dream come true with Vibe FM. He was very good at what he did and was always liked by colleagues... I'm very fortunate to have had such a wonderful friend."
His other colleague, Gianni Zammit, shared a similar sentiment: "He spoke about radio like something that was in his bloodstream. The way he knew radio was fascinating. He even knew the sales aspect and kept perfecting his sales techniques."
Before moving to Vibe FM, Mr Chircop had worked as a sound engineer at Net TV and later moved to Bay Radio where he was head of sales.
Jonathan Abel, who worked with him at 89.7 Bay, was Mr Chircop's best man at his wedding, nearly seven years ago.
"I remember the first time he walked into the studio and smiled at me. He was a very professional man and great to work with. He was also very ambitious, yet down to earth. He always wanted to have his own thing, which he managed through Vibe FM," Mr Abel said.
He added that Mr Chircop was also a good teacher and an inspiration to new people who joined the station.
Former Net TV journalist, Amanda Ciappara, said: "He was great to work with. He was so calm and liked joking... He would even dance in the studio to make us laugh. However, if he needed to be serious, he was."
Mrs Chircop also recalled her husband's funny streak. "He would walk into a room and cheer up anyone who looked sad... He was a very good father. Our daughter Sarah said she misses her papa and hopes he will be back one day," she said in a soft tone.
"He was my best friend. I didn't need anyone else in my life apart from him and my daughter... He deserves a good tribute because he worked so hard and had such a passion for radio."
Mr Chircop's funeral will be held tomorrow at St Theresa's church, Birkirkara, at 9.30 a.m.