R.I.P. Paul Newman
I have some sad, sad, heartbreaking news. Hollywood legend, humanitarian and possibly one of the hottest men to walk the face of this earth, Paul Newman, passed away yesterday at the age of 83 at his home in Westport, CT. His spokesperson said he had died after a battle with cancer. No other details were given.
Paul was nominated for 10 Oscars, winning 1 for his work in “The Color of Money.” He also starred in one of my favorite films of all-time “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.” He retired from acting last year.
In 1982, he founded “Newman’s Own,” a line of food products. Proceeds from the company are donated to charity. As of last year, they have donated around $250 million to worthy causes. Newman’s Own Lemonade will always have a permanent spot in my refrigerator.
Paul also cofounded the “Hole in the Wall Gang Camp,” a summer camp for sick children. The camp has expanded within the U.S. and in other countries.
One of Paul’s other loves was racing. In addition to being a racer himself, he also owned his own team of cars. When he was 70, his team won the 24 Hours of Daytona making him the oldest person to win in a major race.
Paul is survived by his wife of 50 years, Joanne Woodward, his 5 children and two grandchildren.
The Newman Foundation issued this statement:
“Paul Newman’s craft was acting. His passion was racing. His love was his family and friends. And his heart and soul were dedicated to helping make the world a better place for all. Paul had an abiding belief in the role that luck plays in one’s life, and its randomness. He was quick to acknowledge the good fortune he had in his own life, beginning with being born in America, and was acutely aware of how unlucky so many others were. True to his character, he quietly devoted himself to helping offset this imbalance. An exceptional example is the legacy of Newman’s Own. What started as something of a joke in the basement of his home, turned into a highly-respected, multi-million dollar a year food company. And true to form, he shared this good fortune by donating all the profits and royalties he earned to thousands of charities around the world, a total which now exceeds $250 million. While his philanthropic interests and donations were wide-ranging, he was especially committed to the thousands of children with life-threatening conditions served by the Hole in the Wall Camps, which he helped start over 20 years ago. He saw the Camps as places where kids could escape the fear, pain and isolation of their conditions, kick back, and raise a little hell. Today, there are 11 Camps around the world, with additional programs in Africa and Vietnam. Through the Camps, well over 135,000 children have had the chance to experience what childhood was meant to be.
“We will miss our friend Paul Newman, but are lucky ourselves to have known such a remarkable person.”
Rest in peace, Paul. You will be forever missed!