STEPHEN HAWKING

1942 – 2018

Professor Stephen Hawking died peacefully on March 14, early in the morning in his Cambridge home, in England, aged 76.

Known for his great work as a scientist, Stephen Hawking wrote and co-wrote more than 15 books in his lifetime. He also guest-starred in several TV shows, including The Big Bang Theory, Family Guy and The Simpsons. He was best known for his book

A Brief History Of Time, which discussed black holes, and the mysteries of space and time. It became an international bestseller and made Stephen one of the greatest celebrities in the science world since Albert Einstein.

In 1963, at 22, the astrophysicist was diagnosed with a form of motor neurone disease and was given only a couple of years to live.

The disease progressed slower than anticipated, but eventually he was left entirely paralysed.

Hawking shocked doctors, living with the fatal illness for more than 50 years. Despite being wheelchair-bound and unable to speak except through his voice synthesiser, Hawking wrote papers that made him comparable to great scientists of the past, such as Einstein and Isaac Newton.

In a statement, his children, Lucy, Robert and Tim, said: ‘We are deeply saddened that our beloved father passed away.’

Stephen led a full life – he graced red carpets (left) and even had a recent movie, The Theory Of Everything, made about him.