Tributes are flowing for the Christchurch man believed to have perished in a bach fire on Banks Peninsula.
A body has been recovered from the building in Little Akaloa. Police says it is likely to be that of Sir Don Beaven, an 85-year-old doctor who was still working as a professor at Canterbury University. It is believed Sir Don had entered the burning bach with a garden hose, trying to extinguish the flames.
Associate Health Minister Tariana Turia says his death is a tragic loss. She says Sir Don has been the paramount authority on diabetes in New Zealand and received many awards and honours for his dedication to medicine and particularly diabetes.
Mrs Turia says she was with him only two days ago in his role as co-patron of Diabetes New Zealand.
"His enormous enthusiasm was evident to us all he had a fierce passion for making a difference for the lives of people with diabetes.
While he has been devoted to advancing diabetes management in New Zealand, he has also been a New Zealand Diabetes representative to the World Health Organization working parties in Africa, India, and the Pacific and the International Diabetes Foundation for over twenty years.
His legacy is never better represented than in the over 250 articles and eight books he wrote in the area of clinical medicine and diabetes.
Ms Turia says it will be Sir Don's relentless energy and quick wit that will stay in the minds of people who knew him. She says New Zealand mourns the loss of a distinguished statesman.
Chris Baty, president of Diabetes New Zealand, says Sir Don devoted his life to making things better for people with diabetes. She says his death is an enormous blow to past and future generations of people suffering from the disease.
Ms Baty says the loss will be felt worldwide.
Sir Don had a prestigious career and was a Fulbright Fellow at Harvard, an Eli Lilly International Fellow, Professor of Medicine at the new Medical School in Christchurch and Professor Invite in Geneva.
