I've been reading Sam de Brito as long as I can remember - his columns have long been one of my favourite time idlers. He has always been able to articulate with great ease and sensitivity many of the great challenges we face as humans, as a society and as elements of a vast ecosystem. Sam was a vegan. He was a father. He was a lover of women and he seemed determined to ensure the respectful treatment of women through his witty, acerbic All Men Are Liars column. He railed against injustice, and he provided insights into history, philosophy and the human condition that my mind could barely have skimmed towards in normal life. I always felt richer for his writing.
Some of his most memorable pieces for me were the ones he wrote about his friend's suicide, about the recent bullying of Adam Goodes, about what it means to be Australian, about how to be a good man, about political correctness, about his beloved Sydney and his passion for North Bondi Surf Club, and all those articles about the love he felt for his daughter.
I am deeply saddened to hear of his passing. The loss his daughter, former partner, friends and family feel is being felt widely (I heard the news via text from an equally shocked friend). Australia owes a huge debt to Sam for his work in changing and expanding minds. Vale Sam de Brito.
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