Also see another video news: World-renowned researcher fatally struck while walking, driver found dead. 19ActionNews.com (20 December 2010) [Video at AlzClub.org]
Gemma Casadesus hopes people will remember her husband as "a true scientist."
CLEVELAND - Researchers around the world are mourning the death a professor at Case Western Reserve University. Phone calls and e-mails are coming in from around the world.
Mark Smith, a renown authority in the field of Alzheimer’s research was killed Sunday morning by a hit-and-run driver.
Smith was one of the top three Alzheimer’s researchers in the world. His innovative theories on the disease radically changed the search for a cure.
The 45-year-old opened researchers' eyes to anti-oxidants as a potential way to prevent Alzheimer’s. He was also the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.
Police said Smith was killed when he was struck by a car at about 2 a.m. on Chagrin Road in Bainbridge Township.
His death has devastated people who hope to one day find a cure.
"The fact that Alzheimer’s is now the sixth leading cause of death in the United States makes it a huge issue for this country and for the rest of the world and finding a cure is critical because the baby boomer's are starting to reach the age where Alzheimer’s can start to hit and he was determined to find a cure or help find a cure," said Nancy Udelson with the Cleveland Alzheimer's Association.
Police said 50-year-old Daniel Neesham of Bainbridge Township was behind the wheel of the car that killed Smith. Neesham was an active member of his community. He is described as being a gentle soul and good friend.
Case Western Reserve University President Barbara R. Snyder released this statement: "We are shocked and saddened by the death of Professor of Pathology Mark A. Smith early Sunday morning. A pioneering researcher, dedicated mentor and a tireless advocate for faculty, Professor Smith was most of all a person who embraced life with extraordinary passion and good will. He will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege to know him.
Our greatest sorrow is for his wife, Gemma Casadesus, a professor of neurosciences, and his young sons Luke and William. We extend condolences to them and all of Professor Smith’s loved ones, and will provide details of funeral arrangements once they are finalized."
Gemma Casadesus hopes people will remember her husband as "a true scientist."
