Christopher Hitchens was an asshole, an atheist, and a man who articulated – with an eloquence, wit, and courage  I can only dream of – big ideas about religion, war, politics, celebrity, and ultimately death. Hitchens’ own death, from complications brought about by esophageal cancer, came yesterday at age 62. It was a death Hitchens wrote about often from the time he was first diagnosed with the cancer in 2010. This is a repost of a  blog I wrote in August of that year:

There’s an old saying that there are no atheists in foxholes. Author, journalist, provocateur and atheist Christopher Hitchens seems determined to disprove that notion. Hitchens was recently diagnosed with esophageal cancer, a rare and highly fatal form of the disease. If you know anything about Hitchens, the cancer diagnosis isn’t exactly a shock. Hitchens has never seen a brown liquor that wasn’t his friend. In fact, he’s said his daily intake of alcohol was enough “to kill or stun the average mule.” The guy also happens to smoke like a chimney; in short, he’s burned the candle pretty hard on both ends.

But, Hitchens isn’t just a throwback when it comes to his vices. Like Mailer and Hemingway before him, he’s not afraid to mix it up. He backs up all his bullshit and bravado with some incredible writing and some incredible risk, such as the time he underwent a waterboarding session.

Hitchens was able to call off the dogs during that experience, but now he’s facing a more pernicious beast. Like most patients with esophageal cancer, Hitchens was diagnosed after the disease had spread through his body. The death rate associated with this particular form of cancer is high. Fewer than 5% of people survive more than 5 years. The leading risk factors for the cancer? You guessed it: cigarettes and alcohol.

Because of his grim circumstances, many have wondered whether Hitchens would have a change of heart when it comes to his stance on religion. He’s a militant atheist; so much so that he wrote a best-seller making his case against religions of all sort. So, now that he is in a face off with death, has Hitchens had a “come into the light” epiphany? Is he ready to soften his stance on believers and actually, well, you know, pray?

Not surprisingly, Hitchens says his answer to all those questions is “no.” He remains steadfast in his atheism and  says if he ever did join a religion, it would be an effect of the cancer and the treatment, and that by that point he would no longer be himself. Love him or hate him, you have to respect the intellectual honesty of the guy. His convictions are being put to the ultimate test and he’s refusing to place odds on Pascal’s Wager. It’s a stance that has made me think long and hard about how I would deal with the imminent prospect of shedding this mortal coil. By the way, Hitchens says feel free to pray for him, but a wish of good luck will suffice. Here he is describing his battle with cancer in typically brilliant fashion.

Vanity Fair: Topic of Cancer