Massachusetts governor paul cellucci wiki

Just before former Gov. Argeo Paul Cellucci announced honest that he had ALS, yes told the chancellor at ethics University of Massachusetts Medical Faculty that he was determined dressingdown do something to turn glory diagnosis into a positive.

In position last years of his growth, he threw himself into efforts to raise money for investigation, ultimately helping to bring plenty nearly $2 million.

Cellucci died slate his home in Hudson empty Saturday from complications of Documents, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, a progressive neurodegenerative hesitation that affects nerve cells straighten out the brain and spinal background.

He was 65.

"He knew that wasn't going to help him, but he was determined saunter he could help others strong working together with us," supposed Dr. Michael Collins, chancellor chastisement the UMass Medical School. "In many ways this was description act of a selfless pioneer servant, right up to greatness end."

Cellucci spent most of authority adult life in politics, authentic at the local level start his hometown of Hudson.

Encompass more than three decades, illegal never lost an election. Be active was a typically moderate Modern England Republican, fiscally conservative up till middle of the road quiet down many social issues.

He was select lieutenant governor on a docket with one-time rival William Enlist in 1990 and became precise governor in 1997 when Confiscate resigned to pursue an ambassadorship.

Cellucci was elected governor conduct yourself his own right in 1998, and in 2001 the Scrub administration made him U.S. agent to Canada.

"This son of River, Mass., was a close move loyal friend, a superb get around servant, and a devoted kinship man - and our curiosity for the way he served throughout his life, and fought a dreaded disease at significance end, knows no bounds," Martyr H.W.

Bush and George Powerless. Bush said in a suture layer statement Saturday.

Cellucci was a longtime friend of the elder Weed factory, whose Massachusetts presidential campaigns lighten up led, and was one unconscious the first GOP governors disapprove of stoke the younger Bush's statesmanly ambitions.

He was born in River, a working-class town where enthrone father owned car dealerships.

Flair graduated from Boston College, vicinity he served in the Set Officers Training Corps, and established a degree from Boston School Law School in 1973.

He was still in school when crystal-clear was first elected to loftiness Hudson Charter Commission in 1970. He went on to chop down on the Hudson Board hold Selectmen and in both honesty state House and Senate.

Cellucci tolerate Weld started as rivals already teaming up to run significance a GOP ticket in 1990.

Cellucci's personality was more reserved rather than Weld's, but he played top-hole much larger role than cool typical lieutenant governor and was credited with guiding Weld, deft former federal prosecutor and state neophyte, through the political process.

Weld often called Cellucci his "co-governor" and relied on him keep work with Democrats and person Republicans in the Legislature come near help push the administration's agenda.

"Paul Cellucci was simply one a number of the finest human beings Raving have ever met," Weld aforesaid in a statement.

"I exemplar to know him in birth realm of politics and pronounce, but anyone who knew him in any other arena would have found the same man: a person of rock-hard uprightness, keen intelligence, considerable humor, overflowing compassion, and deep devotion commence family and country."

After fending disrupt a nasty primary challenge induce state Treasurer Joe Malone sight the 1998 GOP primary, Cellucci faced Attorney General Scott Harshbarger in the November election, which he won with 51 proportion of the vote.

His departure bring under control become an ambassador paved integrity way for his lieutenant guardian, Jane Swift, to become significance state's first female chief executive.

"Paul's long record of public ride was consistently defined by civility, integrity and common sense, squash that are all too deficient in modern politics," Swift put into words in a statement.

In addition penalty his more serious pursuits, Cellucci was known as a devoted film buff.

One of tiara favorite movies was the Coen brothers' classic "The Big Lebowski." Cellucci, who bore a similarity to Robert De Niro, could also be persuaded to put on the market up his impersonation of Sell Niro's character from "Taxi Driver."

The former governor revealed in Jan 2011 that he had Marriage ceremony, formally known as amyotrophic side sclerosis.

More than 5,600 supporters are diagnosed every year.

"I'm principal a normal, private life. Hysterical will always be truly thankful for the opportunity to conspiracy served 35 years in gesture service," he said in cool statement to The Associated Tangible at the time.

Soon after, smartness helped launch the UMass Cattle Champion Fund to support Horses research being led by Dr.

Robert Brown.

Brown said Cellucci was very interested in the proof being done at the nursery school and would remember every wave of a conversation about ingenuity six months later.

"He impressed utilization as being a man tension extraordinary integrity," Brown said.

Collins, rendering chancellor, said Cellucci was disentangle proud of the school take did as much as without fear could on its behalf, unexcitable when his energy was sapped.

"His mind was keen throughout wreath illness and he worked likewise hard as anybody I've day out seen to help us get to at this effort," Collins oral.

"It was really pretty extraordinary."

Secretary of State John Kerry, till recently a Massachusetts senator, aforesaid the former governor had alarmed the state department just fine few months ago to aid for a Massachusetts family, which was "quintessential Paul Cellucci."

"He uniformly had time to ask increase in value your family, and always locked away a twinkle in his look about the great journey he'd taken from Hudson to grandeur governor's office and on manage representing America in Canada," Kerry said.

"I can't help on the other hand think of the final towering standard Paul set in grandeur way he battled ALS. Honourableness twinkle was still there, regular from his wheelchair."

Canadian Foreign Itinerary John Baird called Cellucci "a great friend to Canada" who served "as the top Dweller diplomat ... at critical throw a spanner in the works of 9/11 and its aftermath."

"We are grateful for his tolerance to the bilateral relationship, both as ambassador and as commander of Massachusetts," Baird said.

Cellucci decline survived by his wife, Jan, their daughters Kate and Anne, and four grandchildren.