granted the Platinum Konex Award in 1994, and the Konex Merit Diploma in 1992, 2004 and 2012 (posthumous). In November 2007, a posthumous work of Fontanarrosa was made public: the animated film Fierro was released, for which he had co-written the script and designed all the characters shortly before his death. Illness In 2003 he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and was reliant on a wheelchair. He continued to work, and participated in the meetings of the Third International Congress of the Spanish Language, in 2004, where he gave a humorous lecture about taboo words and the final speech. On 26 April 2006, the Senate awarded him the Domingo Faustino Sarmiento Mention of Honour for his career and his contribution to Argentine culture. On January 18, 2007, he announced that he would be no longer drawing his own strips because he had lost full control of his hand, but stated that he would go on writing the scripts for his characters. Death On 19 July 2007, Fontanarrosa suffered a respiratory failure, and was taken to a hospital. He died there about one hour later. His funeral service and the funeral procession on the next day were attended by thousands of common citizens, writers, actors, and political authorities. The procession stopped beside the Gigante de Arroyito stadium (home of Rosario Central, a team of which Fontanarrosa was possibly its most notable fan) and then continued north to the neighbouring city of Granadero Baigorria, where Fontanarrosa was buried at the Parque de la Eternidad cemetery. The main national news services and printed media of Argentina devoted special segments to Fontanarrosa's legacy and to the funeral service. The national government declared a Mourning Day for National Culture, and the municipal government of Rosario ordered flags to be flown at half mast. References External links Interview about latinamerican football Arogeraldes Blog Short history "Memorias de un wing derecho" which inspired the film Metegol 1944 births 2007 deaths Argentine male writers Argentine cartoonists Argentine comics artists People from Rosario, Santa Fe Neurological disease deaths in Argentina Deaths from motor neuron disease