"Juan Ma", as he was referred by some, participated in a televised program called "Medio Día Puerto Rico" (Midday Puerto Rico), during the lunchtime hours on Televicentro Puerto Rico in a segment called "La Escuelita" (The Small Schoolhouse). After an incident in which he apparently made mention of the daughter of Aníbal Acevedo Vilá (governor of Puerto Rico at the time), he was fired from the show and did not visit the TV station again, only talking via phone from outside when several people, such as La Comay or news reporters, called him for political analysis. In early 2009, García Passalacqua reduced his level of activities for health reasons and began to be the object of published testimonials. In particular, Governor Luis Fortuño issued a proclamation declaring February 22, 2009 "Juan Manuel García Passalacqua Day" in recognition of his accomplishments in public service, academia, journalism and political analysis. Fortuño, a former neighbor of García Passalacqua, considered the political analyst one of his mentors in his formative years. He later re-joined WKAQ-AM as a political analyst, suggesting that his health had improved. However, on Friday, May 7, 2010 a letter from him was read on WKAQ-AM noon program directed to news director Javier Cosme and the program's audience stating that he was leaving the program and the islands of Puerto Rico to be at peace in his remaining time, since he had been diagnosed with terminal liver cancer. He resided at the Ohio home of his daughter Ivonne Marie García Acosta, a college professor, during the last months of his life, where he died surrounded by his family, according to his widow, professor and author Ivonne Acosta. On July 2, 2010, García Passalacqua died in Mount Vernon, Ohio  Governor Fortuño declared three days of mourning, July 3, 5 and 6, during which the flags of Puerto Rico and United States will be flown at half-mast. Flags are never flown at half-mast on Independence Day, even though Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory.