Stephen was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and in 1963 doctors gave him just 14 months to live.
He was confined to a wheelchair by the time he was 30, and in 1986, aged 44, his voice was removed to save his life after an attack of pneumonia.
From then on, he spoke through a computer synthesizer on the arm of his wheelchair.
"I am quite often asked: how do you feel about having ALS?" he once wrote. "The answer is, not a lot. I try to lead as normal a life as possible, and not think about my condition, or regret the things it prevents me from doing, which are not that many."
From then on, he spoke through a computer synthesizer on the arm of his wheelchair.
"I am quite often asked: how do you feel about having ALS?" he once wrote. "The answer is, not a lot. I try to lead as normal a life as possible, and not think about my condition, or regret the things it prevents me from doing, which are not that many."
Prof Hawking was Britain's most famous modern day scientist, a genius with a razor-sharp wit who dedicated his life to unlocking the secrets of the Universe. I feel sure that he will continue to do this now from a viewpoint that offers a greater range of perspectives.
