Nick A. Valilis

Nick A. Valilis, 27, of El Paso Texas passed away after losing his brave battle with acute leukemia on April 22, 2017, in Houston, TX. He was born in New York City on October 24, 1989, and moved to El Paso with his family in 1996. Nick is survived by his wife, Nuria, his loving parents Panagiotis and Anthoula Valilis, his younger sister Eva, and all of us who still love him.

Nick attended Jesus Chapel for elementary school, St. Joseph's for middle school, and graduated from Coronado High School's International Baccalaureate Program in 2008. He then attended Duke University, where he served as president of the Honors Council and graduated with a degree in biology. Nick was diagnosed with acute leukemia in August 2012, after which he completed his first year of medical school at University of Texas Houston before relapsing.

During this tough time, he had the courage and compassion to turn his misfortune into grace by co-founding a biotech startup company called TowerView Health. Drawing from his own experiences, he and his cofounders created a smart pillbox device to assist patients like himself in remaining compliant with taking the many necessary medications. http://towerviewhealth.com

In January 2017, Nick was recognized in Forbes 30 under 30 for his contributions to healthcare.
https://www.forbes.com/profile/towerview-health/

Despite being ill, he continued to work tirelessly to further his dream as an innovator and entrepreneur. We are sure that his company TowerView Health will go on to help others manage their chronic illness.

Apart from his career achievements, Nick was a loving husband, son, brother and friend who enjoyed a good dinner table conversation, listening to jazz, reading long articles, traveling and watching sports (the Lakers and Duke basketball in particular). He particularly enjoyed visiting his extended relatives in Greece and took immense pride in his heritage.

We will miss his great attitude, his constant smile and his endless appetite, not only for great steaks and good Greek food, but also for knowledge. He was a magnet for intelligent people. Nick made a lasting impression on everyone he met with his quick-witted humor, intellectual curiosity, and assertiveness. He was passionate about learning and education and inspired others to pursue knowledge and excellence.

Nick fought relentlessly until his death, with the support of the many medical professionals at MD Anderson Cancer Center and University of Washington who cared for him throughout his 5-year battle with cancer. We would like to thank them on his behalf, and express our own gratitude to them for enabling him to have these past years with us.

RIP Niko, you will be in our prayers, and more importantly, your memory will live through all of us. We love you.

Vigil Service will be on Saturday, April 29, 2017 at 10 a.m. at Martin Funeral Home – West, 128 N. Resler Dr., El Paso, Texas 79912. A Greek Orthodox Memorial will be held on Saturday, April 29, 2017 at 12:30 p.m. at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, 124 South Festival, El Paso, Texas 79912 followed by interment at Restlawn Memorial Park Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Transplant House, https://www.transplanthouse.org/.