Paul Newman played many unforgettable roles. But the ones for which he was proudest never had top billing on the marquee. Devoted husband.Loving father. Adoring grandfather. Dedicated philanthropist." He saw himself as a working actor, not a movie star, and insisted that everyone else did the same. There was no ego, no entourage, no hangers on. Only Paul, his script and his incredible spirit. Paul Newman's craft was acting. His passion was racing. His love was his family and friends. And his heart and soul were dedicated to helping make the world a better place for all. Paul had an abiding belief in the role that luck plays in one's life, and its randomness. He was quick to acknowledge the good fortune he had in his own life, beginning with being born in America, and was acutely aware of how unlucky so many others were. True to his character, he quietly devoted himself to helping offset this imbalance. An exceptional example is the legacy of Newman's Own. What started as something of a joke in the basement of his home, turned into a highly-respected, multi-million dollar a year food company. And true to form, he shared this good fortune by donating all the profits and royalties he earned to thousands of charities around the world, a total which now exceeds $250 million. While his philanthropic interests and donations were wide-ranging, he was especially committed to the thousands of children with life-threatening conditions served by the Hole in the Wall Camps, which he helped start over 20 years ago. He saw the Camps as places where kids could escape the fear, pain and isolation of their conditions, kick back, and raise a little hell. Today, there are 11 Camps around the world, with additional programs in Africa and Vietnam. Through the Camps, well over 135,000 children have had the chance to experience what childhood was meant to be.
In Paul's words: "I wanted to acknowledge luck; the chance and benevolence of it in my life, and the brutality of it in the lives of others, who might not be allowed the good fortune of a lifetime to correct it." Paul took advantage of what life offered him, and while personally reluctant to acknowledge that he was doing anything special, he forever changed the lives of many with his generosity, humor, and humanness. His legacy lives on in the charities he supported and the Hole in the Wall Camps, for which he cared so much. We will miss our friend Paul Newman, but are lucky ourselves to have known such a remarkable person."
In June 2008 it was widely reported that Newman, a former chain smoker, had been diagnosed with lung cancer and was receiving treatment at Sloan-Kettering hospital in New York City.[35] Photographs taken of Newman in May and June showed him looking gaunt.[36] Writer A.E. Hotchner, who partnered Newman to start Newman's Own salad dressing company in the 1980s, was quoted as saying that Newman told him about the disease about 18 months ago.[37] Newman's spokesman told the press that the star is "doing nicely," but neither confirmed nor denied that he had cancer.[38] In August, Newman reportedly had finished chemotherapy and told his family he wished to die at home. He did so on September 26, 2008 aged 83, surrounded by his family and close friends.[39] His daughter Nell Newman is poised to take over Newman's Own.
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