Erie broadcast engineer and the former vice president and general manager of our television station, John Kanzius, has died.

Kanzius died today around noon at his winter home in Florida. He was 64 years old.

John Kanzius is the man who in recent years has been featured all over the world for developing a process that may someday be a cure for cancer.

Kanzius invented the external RF generator. It’s a device that when combined with nanotechnology uses radio waves to destroy cancer cells without any significant side effects.

John Kanzius came to work in Erie in 1966 for the JET broadcasting company when he was 22 years old.

He was a broadcast engineer for the company until 1980, when he was appointed vice president and general manager.

After both JET radio and TV were sold to different companies... John retired... but soon learned he had cancer.

It was during his treatment for cancer that he felt there had to be a more humane treatment for this dreaded disease... and that's what led him to develop his technology.

The Duskus-Martin funeral home on Sterrettania Road in Millcreek is handling the funeral arrangements. Kanzius is survived by his wife, Marianne, two daughters, and extended family.