It is with great sadness that Vancouver-based Airspace Action on Smoking and Health notes the recent passing of former New York City Mayor Ed Koch.  He died Friday (Feb 1, 13) in NYC at the age of 88.
 
Here's a quote from one of the articles about his funeral:
 
"Those who spoke drew tears, laughs and applause from mourners as they remembered Koch’s in-your-face chutzpah, endearing humor and charismatic leadership style.

[Former U.S. President Bill] Clinton recalled how Koch hated cigarettes and knew it would be hard to reach young people with anti-tobacco messages. So when [current NYC Mayor Michael] Bloomberg launched his ambitious campaign against smoking, Koch offered him some cheeky marketing advice.

“Go after the virility argument!’’ Koch said, according to Clinton.

Clinton said even when Koch was sick in recent weeks, the former mayor kept asking about the health of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who had been hospitalized over the after-effects of a concussion..."

Here's the entire article.
 
On a personal note:
 
Although I never met the man, I tried, unsuccessfully, to contact Ed Koch in the lead-up to my 2010 Journey for a Tobacco-Free World (which, by the way, ended in NYC).  If he had joined the many prominent endorsers of the run (at www.tobaccofreeworld.ca/endorsements ), that would have been very cool. 
 
Ed Koch was a true hero of the anti-tobacco movement...one of very few prominent politicians, anywhere, who had the guts to truly stand up to Big Tobacco (take note, Stephen Harper, Christie Clark, et al).
 
Our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Ed Koch.

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