Founder of disability charity dies

Jean Vanier – a Canadian religious figure whose charity work helped improve conditions for the developmentally disabled in multiple countries over the past half century – has died at the age of 90.

Vanier died on Tuesday in Paris after suffering from thyroid cancer. He worked as a Canadian navy officer and professor before turning to charity work.

A visit to a psychiatric hospital prompted him to found L’arche in 1964 as an alternative living environment where those with developmental disabilities could be full-fledged participants in the community. The charity now works in 38 countries.