Steven Hawking was born in 1942 in Oxford, England and began a life not uncommon to anyone around him. Steven desired a career in Mathematics, whilst his father wished him to pursue a career in Medicine, and ended up pursuing a career in Physics, leading him to obtain a First Class Honours Degree in Natural Sciences in 1962. In 1963 Steven began research into Cosmology and General Relativity at Cambridge University, the same year that news arrived which to many others would have been utterly disastrous.
Shortly after his 21st birthday, Steven was diagnosed with what was detailed at the time as ‘an incurable disease’. This was later confirmed as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and came with a survival tag of approximately 2 years from the point of diagnosis. Steven was medically diagnosed to die in 1965 and currently stands just 1 year away from disproving that diagnosis by a massive 50 years!
Steven’s diagnosis of such a life shortening illness didn’t appear to deter him for one moment. He continued to pursue the career he desired, despite his then current research due to be completed one year after his ‘scheduled’ death. Since then he has achieved more than most with 12 honorary degrees, 3 hugely successful book publications and numerous honours and prestigious public appearances. Steven is a huge example of how a life threatening illness should never prevent you from striving towards your goal.
Sadly Steven Hawking died at his home in Cambridge, England, early in the morning of 14 March 2018, at the age of 76. His family stated that he "died peacefully". He was eulogised by figures in science, entertainment, politics, and other areas.