Jack Kevorkian, the man who was also known as “Dr. Death” for his willingness to administer assisted suicide, has passed away this morning in a Detroit hospital at the age of 83.

He had been hospitalized since last month with pneumonia and kidney problems and the unofficial cause of death is said to have been pulmonary thrombosis.

This man has been demonized by the media and religious institutions but he’s a hero. He spent 8 years in prison fighting for what should be a basic human right – saving people from protracted, torturous deaths.

You could say he died doing what he liked most – dying.