This, despite the fact that he will always be seen by many as an American hero for beating cancer, inspiring others to do the same, and building The Livestrong Foundation which has raised millions of dollars for cancer research.
In proving that the earth takes a regular beating from space rocks he opened the way for others, in 1980, to find traces of the meteorite that killed the dinosaurs.
Many people have commented on what is taking place in Jena, with some suggesting that the six black teens accused of beating a white teen deserve years in prison, while others say they should be freed.