Irish filmmaker Simon Fitzmaurice has passed away.
The Greystones native, who was in his early 40s, was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2008.
Despite the diagnosis, he managed to successfully direct the feature film My Name Is Emily, starring Harry Potter actress Evanna Lynch.
The film was released in 2015, and marked his first feature after two award-winning shorts.
The making of the film was captured in the documentary film It's Not Yet Dark - a film based on Simon's own memoirs.
His wife Ruth Fitzmaurice recently published the best selling book, I Found My Tribe, about how their family tried to cope with the diagnosis.
The couple have five children.
Tributes to Simon Fitzmaurice have been paid across social media this morning, with It's Not Yet Dark director Frankie Fenton saying Simon represented "all that is good and beautiful":
We're just crushed. Simon represents all that is good and beautiful worth fighting for in this world. Our thoughts are with Ruth, his kids and the Fitzmaurice clan.
— Frankie Fenton (@FrankieFenton) October 27, 2017
Simon Fitzmaurice was a beautiful, talented, gorgeous, funny, joyful man who loved life and never gave up â¤ï¸https://t.co/ETcrxDoxRg
— Roisin Ingle (@roisiningle) October 27, 2017
RIP Simon Fitzmaurice a supremely talented man with a bulletproof spirit. https://t.co/dTLrkCKOGm
— Jarlath Regan (@Jarlath) October 27, 2017
IFTA is saddened by the news that the inspirational Simon Fitzmaurice has passed away. Our thoughts are with Ruth, their children & family. pic.twitter.com/xPu7heQFp8
— Irish FilmTV Academy (@IFTA) October 27, 2017
