‘Toning’ guru Johnny Midnight, 73

MANILA, Philippines - Johnny Midnight, the broadcaster who popularized “toning” water and “pyramiding” as healing techniques in the1980s, died from prostate cancer at the Olivarez Medical Center in Parañaque on Monday morning. He was 73.

He is survived by his wife Ma. Mercedes Larrauri Jordan-Joseph; children Juan Jose, Jasmin, Javier, Jorge; and grandchildren Juan Quintin and Juan Lucas.

Born John William Xerez-Burgos Joseph, Johnny Midnight was a broadcaster for 55 years.

His body was cremated at 3 p.m. yesterday at La Funeraria Paz at the Manila Memorial Park in Sucat, Parañaque.

The wake will be held at the Del Pilar Room until Thursday.

Joseph’s son, Jorge Joseph, said his father was diagnosed with cancer more than three years ago, but that he had not slowed down in his broadcasting.

The family is arranging a hero’s burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

President Ferdinand Marcos had declared Joseph a hero through a Presidential Humanitarian Award of the First Order for his efforts to help victims when the Ruby Tower in Binondo, Manila collapsed following the earthquake of Aug. 2, 1968.

Since burial is required at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, the Joseph family is requesting that their father’s name be engraved instead on a wall at the cemetery identifying him as a hero.

Joseph was a broadcaster at radio station dwIZ at the time of his death. He also worked at dzRJ, ABS-CBN and dzBB.