Nobel prizewinning scientist dies in poverty

[webfact]

Nobel prizewinning scientist dies in poverty



MANILA: -- After years of illness that left him nearly penniless the 2010 Nobel Chemistry prizewinner Richard Heck has died aged 84 in Manilla.

Famous for his Heck reaction that he discovered in the late 1960s and then spent three decades refining, he won the Nobel for it along with two Japanese chemists working in a similar field.


-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2015-10-12

[Somtamnication]

. How is that possible so soon after winning the Nobel $$. That never happens in Thailand.

[Jingthing]

Interesting. So he was an American expat in the Philippines. Known for the Heck reaction. Impressive regardless of his end.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_F._Heck

[ABCer]

I'm not strong in Latin. There is something about "so passes the fame of the world" - Sic tranzit gloria mundi - not sure? People with classical education can help to correct me.

Shame... Ungrateful humanity... Did it have something to do with cracking natural oil???

Edited October 12, 2015 by ABCer

[TheKnave]

He shared the 2010 Nobel prize in Chemistry with two Japanese scientists. He had been living in Manila (Quezon City) since 2006, married to a Filipina, who passed away in 2012. He reportedly had been depressed and in poor health since his wife's passing, and was being cared for by her nephew. He was reportedly living on a pension of USD$2500 per month (not that it's really anyone's business...).

Medical bills apparently broke him financially, as a result of chronic illnesses, and the acute gastroenteritis that killed him.

R.I.P. - there but for luck go we all...

Edited October 12, 2015 by TheKnave

[empireboy]

RIP no more suffering!

[Keesters]

. How is that possible so soon after winning the Nobel $$. That never happens in Thailand.

OP states

years of illness that left him nearly penniless

Perhaps Philippines hospitals are similar to Thai ones in their charges.

RIP

[razer]

So few leave behind a legacy that means anything.

[ABCer]

. How is that possible so soon after winning the Nobel $$. That never happens in Thailand.

OP states

years of illness that left him nearly penniless

Perhaps Philippines hospitals are similar to Thai ones in their charges.

RIP

Hope I'm not off topic. 3 days ago doctor said he would like to see MRI of my shoulder. When I was quoted 13,000 Bt (about 520 AUD) for the procedure I refused.

Wonder why some people claim Thailand a hub of Medical Tourism?

[Soutpeel]

. How is that possible so soon after winning the Nobel $$. That never happens in Thailand.

OP states

years of illness that left him nearly penniless

Perhaps Philippines hospitals are similar to Thai ones in their charges.

RIP

Hope I'm not off topic. 3 days ago doctor said he would like to see MRI of my shoulder. When I was quoted 13,000 Bt (about 520 AUD) for the procedure I refused.

Wonder why some people claim Thailand a hub of Medical Tourism?

But one supposes if you where in Aussie you would be demanding an MRI if you were getting it done for nothing and they said you didnt need one

[SheungWan]

. How is that possible so soon after winning the Nobel $$. That never happens in Thailand.

OP states

years of illness that left him nearly penniless

Perhaps Philippines hospitals are similar to Thai ones in their charges.

RIP

Hope I'm not off topic. 3 days ago doctor said he would like to see MRI of my shoulder. When I was quoted 13,000 Bt (about 520 AUD) for the procedure I refused.

Wonder why some people claim Thailand a hub of Medical Tourism?

The cost of operating an MRI scanner is expensive. Medical expenses are the elephant in the room for any expat.

[Johnnyngai]

. How is that possible so soon after winning the Nobel $$. That never happens in Thailand.

OP states

years of illness that left him nearly penniless

Perhaps Philippines hospitals are similar to Thai ones in their charges.

RIP

Hope I'm not off topic. 3 days ago doctor said he would like to see MRI of my shoulder. When I was quoted 13,000 Bt (about 520 AUD) for the procedure I refused.

Wonder why some people claim Thailand a hub of Medical Tourism?

For the shoulder MRI that I had one year ago, in New York City, the insurance pay fee and the self pay cash fee are both 400usd = 14,000bt. In smaller USA cities, the MRI fee is about 25% higher, less patients use the expensive machine, the more the operators need to charge to make the profit.

[ABCer]

. How is that possible so soon after winning the Nobel $$. That never happens in Thailand.

OP states

Perhaps Philippines hospitals are similar to Thai ones in their charges.

RIP

Hope I'm not off topic. 3 days ago doctor said he would like to see MRI of my shoulder. When I was quoted 13,000 Bt (about 520 AUD) for the procedure I refused.

Wonder why some people claim Thailand a hub of Medical Tourism?

But one supposes if you where in Aussie you would be demanding an MRI if you were getting it done for nothing and they said you didnt need one

Sorry to be obtuse. What are you trying to say by that?

I repeat: Local specialist said he wants to see it. I refused on the grounds of Hospital charges being unreasonably high. And you say... what?

[chilli42]

Wow, does that suck. Well at least he left the world with something of value. More than most of us ever will.

[timber]

A bit hard to appreciate a back bencher in Congress or the Senate retiring after 4 years of doing nothing getting a significant pension for the rest of their life.

[Kasset Tak]

. How is that possible so soon after winning the Nobel $$. That never happens in Thailand.

OP states

years of illness that left him nearly penniless

Perhaps Philippines hospitals are similar to Thai ones in their charges.

RIP

Hope I'm not off topic. 3 days ago doctor said he would like to see MRI of my shoulder. When I was quoted 13,000 Bt (about 520 AUD) for the procedure I refused.

Wonder why some people claim Thailand a hub of Medical Tourism?

Public hospital, I just say public hospital!

I had a health checkup with EVERYTHING:

- Complete blood works. Including STDs, cholesterol, rare deceases (elephantiasis was one of them) minerals and everything else.

- EKG

- EEG

- Chest x-ray

- Abdominal ultrasound (kidneys, liver etc.)

- Workload test of respiration

- Psychological evaluation

and MORE.

All that for ONLY 1000 Baht!

[elgordo38]

A bit hard to appreciate a back bencher in Congress or the Senate retiring after 4 years of doing nothing getting a significant pension for the rest of their life.

As I keep telling my Thai g/f there is no fairness in life. She and her family are proof of that. Unless the sperm that created you came from a golden faucet your in for a world of hurt unless your another Bill Gates which most of us are not. Yes the world is full of opportunity but only for a select few. And as this thread states even with a brain firing on all cylinders you can still get mired down in poverty. Life has many crossroads sometimes we make a left when we should have turned right. Touch wood I have been lucky so far and the goalpost of life is in sight. I just hope I do not drop the ball at this stage.

[Chicog]

What did he invent again?

[purushanti]

I'm not strong in Latin. There is something about "so passes the fame of the world" - Sic tranzit gloria mundi - not sure? People with classical education can help to correct me.

Shame... Ungrateful humanity... Did it have something to do with cracking natural oil???

You get a 99% from this classics teacher.

Keep the same sound, but change the z to an s in "transit". above.

[losworld]

We live in a very screwed up world where Wall Streeters make millions in bonuses often feeding off corrupt funds while scientists such as this go largely unrecognized.

[ABCer]

A bit hard to appreciate a back bencher in Congress or the Senate retiring after 4 years of doing nothing getting a significant pension for the rest of their life.

As I keep telling my Thai g/f there is no fairness in life. She and her family are proof of that. Unless the sperm that created you came from a golden faucet your in for a world of hurt unless your another Bill Gates which most of us are not. Yes the world is full of opportunity but only for a select few. And as this thread states even with a brain firing on all cylinders you can still get mired down in poverty. Life has many crossroads sometimes we make a left when we should have turned right. Touch wood I have been lucky so far and the goalpost of life is in sight. I just hope I do not drop the ball at this stage.

Good luck to you, elgordo. Try not to drop either of them...

[Briggsy]

Die in S.E. Asia and the immediate topic is money.

[SheungWan]

A bit hard to appreciate a back bencher in Congress or the Senate retiring after 4 years of doing nothing getting a significant pension for the rest of their life.

As I keep telling my Thai g/f there is no fairness in life. She and her family are proof of that. Unless the sperm that created you came from a golden faucet your in for a world of hurt unless your another Bill Gates which most of us are not. Yes the world is full of opportunity but only for a select few. And as this thread states even with a brain firing on all cylinders you can still get mired down in poverty. Life has many crossroads sometimes we make a left when we should have turned right. Touch wood I have been lucky so far and the goalpost of life is in sight. I just hope I do not drop the ball at this stage.

The sheer profundity of your contribution caused me to lose the will to live.

[wabothai]

So few leave behind a legacy that means anything.

many legacies unnoticed.

[OMGImInPattaya]

He shared the 2010 Nobel prize in Chemistry with two Japanese scientists. He had been living in Manila (Quezon City) since 2006, married to a Filipina, who passed away in 2012. He reportedly had been depressed and in poor health since his wife's passing, and was being cared for by her nephew. He was reportedly living on a pension of USD$2500 per month (not that it's really anyone's business...).

Medical bills apparently broke him financially, as a result of chronic illnesses, and the acute gastroenteritis that killed him.

R.I.P. - there but for luck go we all...

The Nobel money would have been split three ways...and then a third to a half probably went to Uncle Sam so it may have netted to 150k or a bit more. Not much if you have high medical expenses in a foreign country where one self-insures. I wouldn't call a pension of US$2500 exactly "pennyless." If things were really tight, he could have returned to the US and he would have been covered by Medicare.

In any case, thanks for your Heck reaction, whatever it is, and have a nice hereafter wherever you are.

Edited October 12, 2015 by OMGImInPattaya

[TPI]

Now there was a man who didn't waste his time with politics, he saw what was needed to be done ...and did it! We're all a bit poorer for his passing!

[ableguy]

. How is that possible so soon after winning the Nobel $$. That never happens in Thailand.

OP states

years of illness that left him nearly penniless

Perhaps Philippines hospitals are similar to Thai ones in their charges.

RIP

Hope I'm not off topic. 3 days ago doctor said he would like to see MRI of my shoulder. When I was quoted 13,000 Bt (about 520 AUD) for the procedure I refused.

Wonder why some people claim Thailand a hub of Medical Tourism?

Try paying for an MRI in Australia, then you would. Not ask this question.

13000 is dirt cheap.

[ozyjon]

Now if he was a sports star, covered in tattoos, earning a

gazillion dollars a season, they would get a state funeral.

But, Richard Heck, who, never heard of him.

Richard Heck and all the Richard Heck's of this world are my

HERO's, many peoples lives have benefited from his work,,

great contribution to society,, what have so many brain dead

sports people contributed to society, next time someones scraped

off the road from a serious car accident, request a burly rugby

player to put you back together.

I'd like to say thank you Richard Heck for everything you've done RIP

I'd like to say thank you Victor Chang, millions are alive because of you RIP

I'd like to say thank you to every health worker on the planet, you are the hero's.

And oh, all you sports types, go hit your head against the wall,,

it will feel good when you stop.

[umbanda]

. How is that possible so soon after winning the Nobel $$. That never happens in Thailand.

OP states

years of illness that left him nearly penniless

Perhaps Philippines hospitals are similar to Thai ones in their charges.

RIP

Hope I'm not off topic. 3 days ago doctor said he would like to see MRI of my shoulder. When I was quoted 13,000 Bt (about 520 AUD) for the procedure I refused.

Wonder why some people claim Thailand a hub of Medical Tourism?

13,000 THB?...Just that for a MRI??? In the US, without insurance, a visit to a hospital emergency room for any reason may cost $500......

[jerojero]

A bit hard to appreciate a back bencher in Congress or the Senate retiring after 4 years of doing nothing getting a significant pension for the rest of their life.

As I keep telling my Thai g/f there is no fairness in life. She and her family are proof of that. Unless the sperm that created you came from a golden faucet your in for a world of hurt unless your another Bill Gates which most of us are not. Yes the world is full of opportunity but only for a select few. And as this thread states even with a brain firing on all cylinders you can still get mired down in poverty. Life has many crossroads sometimes we make a left when we should have turned right. Touch wood I have been lucky so far and the goalpost of life is in sight. I just hope I do not drop the ball at this stage.

... Yes indeed. As Bill Gates once told a high school graduation class: "Life isn't fair. Get used to it!"