Cancer researcher and former Australian of the Year Professor Richard A. Scolyer dies at 59 following a battle with brain cancer. Multiple outlets report that his passing occurs on Sunday, and that his final message is an open letter intended to be published after his death. In the letter, he frames his message as a “final farewell” to Australians, describing his desire to be remembered as a “proud everyday Aussie” who “gave it a crack.” The letter is presented as part of his final wishes regarding how his death should be announced and communicated publicly. Coverage also describes him as a prominent Australian cancer researcher and an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO). Across the reports, the common emphasis is on the circumstances of his death and the release of his own words to the public, rather than on any specific policy or scientific initiatives. The outlets uniformly treat the open letter as his intended posthumous message.