Rest in Peace Mark! Veteran Journalist of ABC Mark Colvin Dies at the Age of 65

Veteran journalist and ABC broadcaster Mark Colvin dies in Price of Wales Hospital, Sydney on Thursday morning on May 11, 2017. His death came after struggling for more than 20 years from a rare auto-immune disease he contracted during an assignment in Rwanda.

Mark Colvin’s family shared that his last wish was to remain private and spent last weeks of his life with his son Will and Nicholas. The aggrieved family requested to leave the family to mourn in private. They expressed,

"Today we lost our beloved Mark. The family would like to thank the doctors and nurses at the Prince of Wales hospital, as well as the community, the ABC, his friends and colleagues, who have stood by him and supported his career and life. At this moment of grief, we request the family be left to mourn in private. “

Moreover, the family shared Mark's wish that stated,

"Mark has asked that donations to the Prince of Wales Hospital Trust be made, in place of flowers."

Mark suffered osteoporosis, and Wegner’s granulomatosis, they finally led to kidney failure. Sharing his old age condition back in 2011, Mark said,

 “Put it this way: it’s pretty unlikely I am going to live to a ripe old age,”

In 2012, Mark had a kidney transplant operation from the donor Mary-Ellen Field, and after Mark’s death, Mary-Ellen Field, the former business adviser of supermodel Elle Macpherson tweeted,

Colvin spent four-decade of his career in ABC and worked as a reporter, foreign correspondent and presented ABC Radio’s current affair program PM for 20 years. On the demise of Mark, ABC News Director Graven Morris divulged,

“Mark was one of Australia’s finest journalists. He leaves an unfillable void as a journalist, a colleague and a friend. He was an important part of the ABC community as a mentor and teacher to young reporters and as a voice of wisdom and experience to many older ones. Our reporters and producers felt strengthened by his presence in the newsroom and emboldened by the sound of his voice on our airwaves.”

Moreover, Michelle Guthrie, the managing director of ABC expressed,

“For many Australians, Mark’s steady and measured voice as host of PM brought them the essential news of the day and kept them informed about events of national and international importance.We will miss him enormously, and extend our thoughts to his family and friends.”

On the demise of the widely admired journalist, Mark Colvin, the Prime Minster Malcolm Turnbull, Labor leader Bill Shorten and Greens leader Richard Di Natale paid their tributes through Twitter.

We offer out thoughts and prayers to the grieved family.

Rest in Peace Mark!