My friend and gifted mathematical physicist David McAnally died suddenly last week. I attended David’s funeral today. It’s hard to believe that he’s gone. It hadn’t ever crossed my mind that this shy, gentle man, who loved mathematics and physics would pass on so soon. David was 44.
For the last couple of months David had been teaching me a crash course on general relativity. He’d gone through the material but decided to give me one more lecture - scheduled for last Tuesday afternoon. Unfortunately, he passed away unexpectedly that morning.
I sat in that empty lecture room last week, reminiscing and trying to get my head around this awful thing.
Hey Tel,
Yes, it’s horrible, isn’t it? He was so young too!
Whenever this happens, I think that you have to do what you want to do - there is no time to lose.
Comment by Sacha — July 14, 2006 @ 8:48 pm
Am sorry to see this news, albeit a year belated. One of my ex-supervisors could not further his graduate studies in the UK after his supervisor died suddenly. Hopefully, you were able to move on. Especially with your GR studies.
Comment by musafiremes — May 1, 2007 @ 2:30 pm
Yes, it was very sad. He was a good guy with an enormous knowledge of things mathematical.
It would be awfully difficult to finish up with your supervisor not around. My supervisor is alive and well.David was teaching me some GR on a regular basis, but that was just some fun, not actually closely related to my PhD studies.
I am still reading up on GR when I have time, I find the differential geometry side to be very beautiful.
Tel
Comment by Tel — May 8, 2007 @ 9:49 am