UPDATED: Remembering Nelson Mandela

UPDATE: The world and his home country truly remembered just how much Nelson Mandela contributed to the world.
Here is a fantastic summary of Nelson Mandela's life:

The New York Times great recap of his speeches, life, and major contributions:

At the age of ninety five, the revered and sage Nelson Mandela passed away. I know that this is a travel blog, but the country of South Africa would be very different if it were not for the actions and inspiration of Mr. Mandela. His obituary can attest to his leadership in the antiapartheid movement, peace, and equality. Regarding his Nelson Mandela's death, the author of his autobiography writes,
"Nelson Mandela was always uncomfortable talking about his own death. But not because he was afraid or in doubt. He was uncomfortable because he understood that people wanted him to offer homilies about death and he had none to give. He was an utterly unsentimental man. I once asked him about his mortality while we were out walking one morning in the Transkei, the remote area of South Africa where he was born. He looked around at the green and tranquil landscape and said something about how he would be joining his "ancestors". "Men come and men go," he later said. "I have come and I will go when my time comes." And he seemed satisfied by that. I never once heard him mention God or heaven or any kind of afterlife. Nelson Mandela believed in justice in this lifetime."