A beautiful mind: Newsroom readers remember Stephen Hawking

“We need more people with amazing intellect and will power.” “He suffered illness with grace, dignity, humility and humor. That’s more than I could ever do.” Stephen Hawking has died at the age of 76. Comments pour in as Newsroom readers share their heartfelt respects. Hawking died early Wednesday at his home in Cambridge, England. The British theoretical physicist was diagnosed with ALS at 21. He’s best known for his work with black holes and relativity, and he wrote several popular science books, including A Brief History of Time. He is considered one of the world’s greatest scientists. Newsroom readers made a connection with another great, Albert Einstein: “He died on Einstein’s birthday … and both great minds died at age 76.” Eddie Redmayne played Hawking in the 2014 film The Theory of Everything. The actor honored the late scientist with these touching words: “We have lost a truly beautiful mind, an astonishing scientist, and the funniest man I have ever had the pleasure to meet. My love and thoughts are with his extraordinary family.”