Keith "Mortin" Whitsitt

celchocelcho Tallahassee, FL Member
edited May 2010 in Community
I don't know how many people know of or remember Keith, but he's the high school kid that started icrontic.com and made it something through his hard work. He was my best friend in high school, and I will always remember him fondly. Almost everyday after he started Icrontic, I would go over to his house after school to work on the site. Though he occasionally steped on people's toes and upset some of you online, he still created something pretty great.

After high school, he went to the University of Florida as a computer engineering major. After two years of working on that major and finishing most of the classes that were most difficult for him, he abrubtly changed his major to business. This was about a month ago, and it was one of the last times I would ever talk to Keith.

Last night, he was checked into the hospital in Gainesville, FL with a gunshot wound to the head and is now in a coma suffering from swelling of the brain and massive brain damage. Apperently his body temperature is rising to dangerous levels and his mother has chosen to pull the plug in the morning. The information is sketchy, but they originally thought he had killed himself, though, now they think he may have been shot.

Whatever your opinion of Keith, I thought at least some of you here might like to hear what happened to him.
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Comments

  • TBonZTBonZ Ottawa, ON Icrontian
    edited October 2004
    OMG Celcho! :(

    My condolences Celcho as you know him personally, I'm so sorry. :bawling:

    I think in large part Mortin was largely misunderstood but I always liked Keith and I'm greatly saddened by this news. My prayers are with you Celcho, Keith's parents, family & friends.

    Keith was a great supporter of the Icrontic/SM folding Team, he donated much cash and H/W to the ICx/SMx project for which I was always proud of him for. This is truly a sad day for IC/SM. Thanks Keith for all you have done. :bawling:

    RIP Keith Whitsitt.
  • celchocelcho Tallahassee, FL Member
    edited October 2004
    thanks. i wish people could have undestood keith better. not to say that i ever did 100%, but many of the flaws that came out in real life and in the online world were probably in large part because of the mental problems he fought particularly hard once he went to college. he was bipolar and in the last year or two, i think it must have gotten worse.
  • botheredbothered Manchester UK
    edited October 2004
    That is terrible news. I only got involved in forums because I found Icrontic. I loved it to bits but had only been a member there for a few months when it went down. I know mortin upset a few people but never knew why or cared really, I just though it was a great site. I can only wish the best to his family and friends in what must be a truly horrific situation. If he hadn't set up Icrontic I probably wouldn't be here and I'm grateful to him for that. Thanks Keith, God bless.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited October 2004
    Wow :(

    I may have disliked him severely, but with the knowledge that he was bipolar, I don't think I hold anything against him any more. I've seen what it can do to people my whole life. It's a shame you go through life, only to learn about things like this far too late to ever do anything.

    God speed, Keith. Wish I could tell you that I was sorry.
  • citrixmetacitrixmeta Montreal, Quebec Icrontian
    edited October 2004
    My condolences to his family.


    ive spoken to keith many times, its a shame to see him go out like that :bawling:

    RIP keith...
  • RWBRWB Icrontian
    edited October 2004
    Sad news indeed, I never knew him or recall ever chatting with him, but he seemed to me like a good guy. My condolences to all who knew him better than I.
  • CammanCamman NEW! England Icrontian
    edited October 2004
    Wow, I remember talking to him long ago when he had the "Icrontic Network" because I started my own hardware site that ran for quite a while on that network. I thought he was a good guy, I didnt know him personally or anything but I did talk to him on AIM a bunch because of the whole website thing, I never had an problems with him and I admire that he worked so hard on Icrontic, it was quite a site when it was at it's prime.

    My thoughts go out to his family and friends, it's a shame to lose somebody who seemed to have such ambition.
  • MediaManMediaMan Powered by loose parts.
    edited October 2004
    Celcho,

    He is your friend and I'm sorry you had to bring us this news. I always said this of Keith...when he got to run the world...I'll would go work for him on any day. He was good to be around and good to me.

    The Keith I remember is the person I respect and remember fondly. All of this would not have been if it weren't for him. Please keep us informed and please rely upon us if you need a digital place to be.

    I knew what Keith was going through. He and I had a long talk one night long ago where he told me what he had gone through, was going through and where he planned to steer towards. I wish he had the chance to succeed.

    He never wronged me. He always supported me. He will always be a part of my life. I wish he had that chance to "run the world"...I'd work for him and with him in a heartbeat...the Keith I knew was a very good person.
  • MediaManMediaMan Powered by loose parts.
    edited October 2004
    The founder of Icrontic.com, formerly APUs Hardware, lies in a Gainesville, FL hospital. Keith "Mortin" Whitsitt's mother has chosen to let her son go off life support while he lies in a coma suffering from massive damage to the brain from a gunshot wound.

    Keith Whitsitt started Icrontic.com in his high school days and the PC Tech website soon became world-renowned because of Keith's antics with his "Ghetto Hardware" articles. Keith's friend, a long time Short-Media.com member by the nickname of Celcho, was there with Keith...his best friend, in those early days of Icrontic. The core of Icrontic.com revolved around one of the web's best overclocking and tech support forums. What is now Short-Media.com came from the ashes of Icrontic.com after it fell victim to a hacker attack.

    Even after the fall of Icrontic Keith continued to support the community by making cash and hardware donations to the Icrontic/Short-Media folding effort.

    All of us here and across the web to all parts of the world who knew Keith remember him as fiesty, friendly and fun. We remember he got under our skin. He challenged us. He made us think. He made us mad. Most of all...he gave us a home and he won't be forgotten for that.
  • EMTEMT Seattle, WA Icrontian
    edited October 2004
    I'm terribly sorry to hear this news... may Mortin's soul rest in peace.
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited October 2004
    Im shocked, stunned and saddened :(

    I spoke to Keith regularly on ICQ when I was at Icrontic. He was always buzzing about this and about that. A couple of times things happened and I went to him to ask what to do, he always said "you doing just great.. you decide.. I trust ya".

    He brought a different angle to tech sites with the ghetto articles, hacking an xbox and pushing the envelope whenever there was a chance. That's how Il remember him. He had his own personal stamp on things. That was just the way he was.
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited October 2004
    :( I'm truly at a loss for words... he has not passed away yet, so there is still some small glimmer of hope. All I can do is post the first thing that came to my mind, which is this poem written by Dylan Thomas while his father was dying:

    Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night
    Do not go gentle into that good night,
    Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
    Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

    Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
    Because their words had forked no lightning they
    Do not go gentle into that good night.

    Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
    Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
    Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

    Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
    And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
    Do not go gentle into that good night.

    Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
    Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
    Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

    And you, my father, there on that sad height,
    Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
    Do not go gentle into that good night.
    Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
  • JimboraeJimborae Newbury, Berks, UK New
    edited October 2004
    Thats sad news, my deepest sympathies go to his family & friends. Without Mortin none of what we have now would have happened.
  • edited October 2004
    I'm saddend to hear the news of his injury, I wish my very best for celcho and his family and although I didn't know him I do know that he left his mark upon the world by creating the "family" I'm a member of today. I'm really sorry to hear this.
  • floppybootstompfloppybootstomp Greenwich New
    edited October 2004
    I am deeply saddened to hear this. Icrontic was the first Forum I ever joined.

    If you can, keep us posted Celcho.
  • MoTHA_NaTuREMoTHA_NaTuRE All over this bizzatch called FL
    edited October 2004
    omg, although i never talked to him, and neither do i post often, but i started browsing tech forums because of his apushardware.

    all i can say is that if you are here in this forum getting advice and tips, finding friends, having fun, etc. etc. if it was not for mortin, this forum probably would not have been here.

    he has affected your life or routine some way or the other.

    take care of yourself wherever u go "mortin" :eek: :shakehead :bawling: :bawling:
  • GobblesGobbles Ventura California
    edited October 2004
    god bless...

    shame to loose one so young..
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited October 2004
    What.... when.. where? Don't know what to say....
  • edited October 2004
    WOW, what happened? It's a damn shame to hear this, for sure! :(
  • edited October 2004
    I'm really sorry to hear about this and my sympathies go out to Mortin's friends and family. I didn't know Mortin very well as he had started letting go of Icrontic about the time I joined, but he must have been something special to get such a great bunch of folks together posting at 1 site. To have him in mortal peril from a gunshot wound to the head is just a damn shame. :(
  • TBonZTBonZ Ottawa, ON Icrontian
    edited October 2004
    Although, I don't know what his exact condition is at this very moment, godspeed.
  • HawkHawk Fla Icrontian
    edited October 2004
    Sorry to hear such sad news. If he was shot-I hope they catch the shooter. I know he was friends with a lot of people here and at IC. It's a sad day when we lose someone with such potential to change the world. Our (wife & I) prayers go out to his family and friends for comfort and healing form such a tragedy.
  • mmonninmmonnin Centreville, VA
    edited October 2004
    OMG!!

    I never really knew him. I asked him one question on AIM once and that was it. He never did anything against me. Basically what I knew about him was what other people said. Most of the time it wasnt good but I was neutral with him. Knowing that he was Bipolar I will never have anything against him, ever. He made a great site in its day and because if it, here we all are.

    RIP Keith.
  • MedlockMedlock Miramar, Florida Member
    edited October 2004
    He was shot? :( I never knew him, but he gave me a home away from home...
  • wb22ruleswb22rules Central Va.
    edited October 2004
    My Condolences to the Icrontic/Short-Media family and to Keiths family and friends :( Sorry to hear of your loss :(
    RIP Mortin
  • ClutchClutch North Carolina New
    edited October 2004
    My sympathies go out to Keith's family and you celcho. I never actually got to talk to Keith, I actually never had any grduges against him. It is truly sad to hear this news :(
  • DexterDexter Vancouver, BC Canada
    edited October 2004
    This is terrible news :(

    I was not a member of this community back in the Icrontic days, but have heard many good things about Keith. A knowledgeable and diverse group of personalities gathered together under his initial leadership, and that legacy lives on now here in Short-Media and over at the re-born Icrontic.

    My deepest condolences to his family, friends, and to all who knew him through these forums.

    Dexter..
  • MedlockMedlock Miramar, Florida Member
    edited October 2004
    My sympathies to Keith's friends and family, and to those who knew him here and at IC.

    I know what bipolar disorder does to people, I can only hope that those offended by him can understand. :(

    Though I never knew or spoke to Keith, he gave me a second home. I am very saddened by this news... :(

    -Rick
  • Park_7677Park_7677 Missouri Member
    edited October 2004
    :( I had no idea anything happened to the guy. This is defiantly a sad day :bawling:

    My best wishes go out to his family and friends.
  • GargGarg Purveyor of Lincoln Nightmares Icrontian
    edited October 2004
    I don't even know what to say. I never spoke to him personally, but his efforts at Icrontic were the foundation of nearly all of my computer interests and my involvement in Short-Media. It was always nice to know he was still out there, even long after the fall of the original Icrontic. He'll be missed, and my thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.
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