LFO bandmates talk to EW about their fallen friend Rich Cronin (never expected to see this)

Now his bandmates, Brad Fischetti, 34, and Devin Lima, 33, are sharing some memories of their fallen friend. “He was one of the funniest people on the planet,” Fischetti tells EW. “Nobody could tell a story like Rich. He used to say, ‘Never let a few facts get in the way of a good story.’” Fischetti clearly remembers the day he found out Cronin had leukemia. “It was 20o5,” he says. “I was walking down the street in St. Augustine, Florida, and his brother called me. Many in Orlando were particularly shocked to hear news on Wednesday night of the death of singer Rich Cronin, founder of the 1990s boy band LFO. The 35-year-old singer passed away Wednesday afternoon after a long battle with cancer.

His last tweet, dated Jan. 22: “@boybandfan were not reuniting. Boy band singer Rich Cronin, famous for his years with the group LFO, died Wednesday after a battle with Leukemia. Sorry.” That same day, he looks toward his future: “Hey guys I’m just in Boston writing in the studio. None of us thought we’d ever be on the stage again as LFO. Fellow LFO member Brad Fischetti appreciated all the kind words and support throughout the difficult period, tweeting , “thx u 4 all the kind messages. Hopeing to make it all work! Devin & I will miss our brother Rich. Lord, I’m shocked right now. He said there had been hope they’d all be able to perform together again this year. However, what isn’t so horrible is the fact that Cronin made a difference before he passed away.

Devin and I both realized how much we loved him, despite the differences we had in the past. I’ll always have that voice in my mind, because it was such a sincere thank you. Sept.29: “Just to let you all know I’m in perfect health! Cronin died on Wednesday from a stroke at the hospital, according to his brother. Rich passed away today after a long battle against leukemia. Thanks for your messages though! Thanks!” Cronin’s Twitter account will likely stay up until a family member or other parties who were in relevant relationships with him step forward. It won’t happen anymore, but Fischetti’s pleased with the body of work they have to offer, adding that Cronin was an underrated rapper. “I thought for quite some time that he was one of the best MCs that ever grabbed the mic,” he says. “I don’t think that people realized how great a rapper he was because when he became successful our music was a mixture of rap and singing and went even further into a rock realm. But these days I don’t really care. Erik-Michael Estrada of the Lou Pearlman-managed group O-Town (he also managed LFO at one point) admitted how much Cronin meant to him, tweeting , “Today we lost an extraordinary person.

Cronin’s Facebook page also lives on, with tribute messages from his fans. Diddy stop me at a hotel one time and thank me for wearing one of his hats in a video,” Fischetti says. “And we’d have real urban characters at airports stopping us saying ‘Yo, “Summer Girls” was my s—!’ We reached a lot of different people.

We’re appreciative of the opportunity to make an impact.

We lived extraordinary lives and did extraordinary things.