He died at age 76 after suffering from ELA since he was 21 years old
Stephen Hawking has died at his home in Cambridge at age 76. The family confirmed the news in a public statement to the British Press Association: “We are deeply saddened that our dear father has passed away today.”
The scientist suffered from ALS, a degenerative disease since he was 21 years old and had exceeded all medical expectations about life expectancy with his illness. His mind is one of the most important of this century and since 2005 he was in a wheelchair and communicated only through a computer and a voice synthesizer.
Stephen Hawking had repeatedly affirmed his ideas about God. For the astrophysicist God did not exist and he discarded it because of the infinity of the Universe. In several statements he declared himself an atheist and showed that asking about “what was before the Big Bang” is meaningless , because “it is like questioning what is south of the South Pole.”
In one of his last meetings Stephen Hawking met with Pope Francis in what was considered a curious encounter for the position of each one on the existence of God. Pope Francis considers God as a Father of infinite mercy, the greatest of the Universe he has created and Hawking considered the Universe infinite and without divine intervention.
The Hawking life was a true miracle after the diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) at 21 years of age. The medical opinion affirmed that he would not live more than two or three years of life. Hawking instead married, has had three children and traveled all over the world to give his lectures. Stephen Hawking became an icon of science and improvement.
Stephen Hawking died today and as his children said when he announced the news: “He was a great scientist and an extraordinary man whose work and legacy will last for many years.” For years he defended that God does not exist. Stephen Hawking found himself face to face today … Whatever it is, he already has the answer.
