Twitterati Mourn Stephen Hawking Funeral
London: Hundreds of family and friends, including actor Eddie Redmayne, who played Stephen Hawking in the 2014 biographical drama "The Theory of Everything," attended the renowned scientist's private funeral Saturday in Cambridge.
The service honoring Hawking was held at the University of Cambridge's St. Mary the Great church, even though the celebrated cosmologist and mathematician, who died on March 14 at age 76, was an atheist. Hundreds of people lined the streets for the funeral procession, from Hawking's home in west Cambridge to the city's centre, where the church is located. His coffin was topped with white "Universe" lilies and white "Polar Star" roses, which were placed on the casket by his three children, Lucy, Robert and Tim. When the funeral procession arrived, St. Mary the Great's bell tolled 76 times, one for each of the professor's life, who was diagnosed with motor neuron disease in his 20s and was soon forced to use a wheelchair and eventually a speech synthesizer.
Check out Twitter reactions:
“Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet..... — Dr Lauren Gavaghan *Standing for BMA Council* (@DancingTheMind) March 31, 2018 Actor Eddie Redmayne arrives in #Cambridge for the funeral of Professor Stephen Hawking — ITV News Anglia (@itvanglia) March 31, 2018 Why was #StephenHawking funeral held at a church? He was an atheist, as he told several newspapers, including El Mundo. pic.twitter.com/5jZyzC7PZu — Yvette Shapiro (@yvetteshapiro) March 31, 2018 Goodbye to the man that taught us to never give up, that nothing is impossible. — Beard Yourself (@sinjita_0202) March 31, 2018 Thank you to the family of #StephenHawking for so generously supporting today's @FoodCycleCamb lunch in his memory... pic.twitter.com/rStJimtVJ5 — Alex Collis (@AlexCollisCam) March 31, 2018 #StephenHawking all the best in your final resting place, you were an inspiration to many — AuthoritarianSA (@AuthoritarianSa) April 1, 2018 Hundreds line the street and applaud Stephen Hawking at his funeral ?? /#StephenHawking https://t.co/NVwt4iUknP — Matty ???? (@Doozy_45) March 31, 2018 I like to think of Stephen Hawking as returning to stardust. I'd like him to remember us for carrying on the fight for #OurNHS #StephenHawking @saveournhskent pic.twitter.com/VTkPrdXEkP — Ian 4 Margate (@Ian4margate) March 31, 2018
Be curious. And however difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at.
It matters that you don't just give up.”
[Professor Stephen Hawking]#StephenHawking ? pic.twitter.com/EZsS4UZTwz
More: https://t.co/bSuT9gmCyO #StephenHawking pic.twitter.com/pmEHYhDce5
Amidst the infinite stars that we see, may you shine the brightest. Thank you #StephenHawking pic.twitter.com/5iJzz8NmGz
