Travel Writer Chris Rubin Dies at 49

I just learned that one of my travel writer colleagues Chris Rubin died on August 15 due to complications from cancer. He was 49. I first met Chris on a press trip to New Zealand back in March 2006. He later found out that he was feeling ill on that trip because he had a rare vascular cancer called epithelioid hemangioendothelioma. In June 2006, he underwent a liver transplant. Chris was a trooper and still managed to do most of the activities on the trip, including Zorbing and taking a helicopter to the top of a volcano (Chris is pictured far right). Chris was a well-respected journalist who had written for The Los Angeles Times, Daily Variety, Robb Report, Travel & Leisure, as well as being the LA editor for Gayot Publications. Rubin is survived by his wife, Deborah Calla, a film writer-producer; father Stanley, a film writer-producer; mother Kathleen Hughes Rubin, an actress; sister Angie, a music editor; brother John, a documentary filmmaker and brother Michael. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 25th which would have been four days after Rubin’s 50th birthday.