Obituary

Erin “Z” Leigh Fusco passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on November 8th after a journey with cancer that began over five years ago. Erin was born on August 17, 1986 in Atlantic City, New Jersey to Nancy “Nan” Fusco and Michael “Mike”A. Fusco as the younger sister to Michael “Mike” C. Fusco and older sister to Taylor “T” Fusco.

The family later relocated Ocean City, New Jersey before settling at Laguna Beach, California where Erin graduated from Laguna Beach High School in 2004.

While Erin was making her way illustrating children’s books and other free lance art jobs she met her husband Adam Siegrist in 2007. They would move to San Francisco, California in 2009 to pursue further creative career paths for Erin as well as short time in Reno, Nevada before returning to San Francisco, and eventually to Irvine, California in 2020.

While Erin would eventually realize her dream of working for Blizzard Entertainment in Irvine in 2020 she spent years working in many creative studios, with innumerable creative and wonderful people. She also attended many fan and industry conventions where she would also work feverishly to not only craft long lasting friendships, but also mentor and advise people entering and progressing down their own creative journeys.

As Erin’s career moved from artist and art director to producer she cherished being able to advocate for and support the creatives she worked with at Fox, Disney and eventually Blizzard. Erin always wanted the best for her friends family and colleagues, and would not be deterred fighting for it.

When Erin was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in June of 2019 she fought along with an all star medical team as University of California, San Francisco through chemotherapy and surgical efforts to be free of any sign of cancer in January of 2020 – Always documenting and sharing her story with anyone who was interested in order to remove taboo and shine a light on something that touches so many people.

When Erin’s cancer returned in late 2020 she realized it was not a fight any more, but a journey. She knew where the path would lead, but not how many steps remained to the destination. Thanks to the expert staff at University of California, Irvine, including an amazing oncologist that is highly specialized in Erin’s specific case, Dr. Jennifer Valerin.

In her free time Erin would continue to draw and create crafts, that would grow into her own business Pinyatta, selling primarily lapel pins for all of the cartoons and pop cultural touchstones she loved to share with her communities. When possible Erin would spend her time at the beaches in Southern California or the redwood forest of Muir Woods in Northern California as each brought her immense happiness and peace, as did her favorite fur-son Brick the English Bulldog.

Erin’s community only blossomed further as her cancer journey continued and she met so many other across the world on a similar journey. She will continue to shine a light and push the science forward through all of those she touched in the creative and cancer communities that meant so much to her.

Erin is survived by her mother, Nancy, father Michael, brother, Mike (wife Marisha and their daughter London), sister Taylor (husband Josh), and her spouse Adam along with their fur-son Brick.