Who is Robert Hawking?
Robert Hawking was born in 1967 in the United Kingdom, and is a software engineer, but probably better known for being the son of high profile theoretical physicist, author, and cosmologist Stephen Hawking. He was known to have taken care of his father while he was suffering from Amylotrophic lateral Sclerosis or ALS, until his passing in 2018.
The Riches of Robert Hawking
How rich is Robert Hawking? As of mid-2018, sources estimate a net worth that is over $1 million, mostly earned through success in his work in software. His net worth was also elevated by his father’s success, as Stephen had a net worth estimated at $20 million. As Robert continues his endeavors, it is expected that his wealth will also continue to increase.
Early Life and Career
Many believed that Robert would follow the footsteps of his father, who at the time of his birth was starting to make significant forays into science. Growing up, he developed an interest in science and even showcased a desire to become a scientist like his father. However, somewhere along the line he changed his mind, and decided that he would rather focus on software engineering.
He graduated from the University of Oxford, after which he moved to Canada for a while, working in the information and technology sector for several years, before moving to the US, and working for the high profile computer software company, Microsoft Corporation. Despite being far from his parents during his career, he maintained a closeness with his family. When his father began developing the symptoms of ALS, he returned to the UK to care for him.
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Stephen Hawking and ALS
Stephen Hawking became very popular commercially thanks to releasing works on science in which he discusses his own theories, as well as his work on cosmology. He wrote the book “A Brief History of Time” which would break the record on the British Sunday Times best-seller list – 237 weeks. Some of his works include the Hawking radiation theory which states that black holes emit radiation, the theory of cosmology which was a mix of the general theory of relativity and quantum mechanics, and the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics. He was a fellow of the Royal Society and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
He discovered sometime in his life that he had a rare slowly progressing form of motor neurone disease, called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS, also called Lou Gehrig’s disease due to how it was first highly documented on the professional baseball player. Over many years, the disease slowly paralyzed Stephen, and he eventually loss his speech. In order to communicate, he was given a speech-generating device which could be used through a hand held switch or a single cheek muscle. He passed away in 2018 at the age of 76.
In Popular Culture
While his father developed popularity for his scientific theories, and spread awareness of his degenerative disease, Robert stayed in the background, but taking care of his father, praised by his mother for doing things for his father that children shouldn’t have to do. Details of his life with his father were eventually released through his mother’s book entitled “Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen”, which would become a part of the biographical film entitled “The Theory of Everything”, in which Robert was portrayed by Oliver Payne and Tom Prior, also starring Eddie Redmayne as Hawking and Felicity Jones as Jane Hawking.
The film proved very successful, earning great reviews and praise for numerous aspects of the production. The music, cinematography and performances of the lead actors earned a lot of attention, later winning Redmayne an Academy Award for Best Actor, while Jones was nominated as Best Actress, and the film for Best Picture, Best Original Score, and Best Adapted Screenplay, as well as 10 British Academy Film Award (BAFTA) nominations , winning Best Leading Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Outstanding British Film.
Aftermath
Roberts’ father passed away during the 139th anniversary of Einstein’s birth, and his funeral was attended by numerous high-profile personalities including the stars of “The Theory of Everything”. Tributes were paid by actor Benedict Cumberbatch, astronaut Tim Peake, astronomer Royal Martin Rees, and Nobel Prize winner Kip Thorne. His epitaph includes the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy equation. According to reports, he died peacefully at his home – his final research study was about the origin of the universe. Since his passing, Robert has quietly receded into the background and continued his work in software with Microsoft in Seattle, Washington State. Robert is married and has two children but no details of them have been shared publicly.
