Jean-Pierre Benhamou and Andres (Andy) T. Blei passed away in 2008. Jean-Pierre Benhamou was an old man who died after a life full of joys and achievements. He was one of the founders of European hepatology and inspired a number of individuals who, in turn, have created teams that have made French hepatology what it is today. His influence is everywhere, in France, in the Journal of Hepatology which he contributed to create with Dame Sheila Sherlock and others and of which he was an Editor-in-Chief, in EASL he inspired. The Jean-Pierre Benhamou State-of-the-Art Lecture in Clinical Hepatology acknowledges, during our Annual Meeting every year, our debt to Jean-Pierre Benhamou. He knew about it before dying and was proud and happy.
Andy Blei was not old and could have continued to work with his friends and colleagues. Born in Argentina, trained in the US and Spain, working in Chicago, Andy Blei was a remarkable doctor and scientist, and an unforgettable Editor-in-Chief of Hepatology. We once called him “the most European of the Americans”. He was proud of it. Andy Blei was offered the first EASL International Recognition Award during the 2008 Annual Meeting. He was already very sick. For those who knew him before, it was heart-rending. The more than 3000 delegates who attended the ceremony will keep the memory of the emotion. Adrian Reuben said it all at the AASLD Award Ceremony which Andy unfortunately could not attend.
We will not forget them.
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Published online: February 12, 2009
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© 2009 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier Inc.
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