Roger Ebert is my hero.

He has been for many years, in fact, since I watched him review films on Ebert and Roeper as a teen. I wanted to be like him, a critic. I was lucky enough to actually live that dream a little in my short life, but no one can even touch Ebert when it comes to professional accomplishments. He has published countless books, received several honours, changed the world of film criticism forever, and inspired generations to love movies again. But now, he is facing a fight for his life. A fight which has cost him something he is perhaps best known for (except his thumbs perhaps): his voice.

The idea is horrifying: a critic literally losing his voice. However, Ebert is everything but silenced. His voice, while audibly absent still lives on in his writing. RogertEbert.com features up-to-date reviews of recent films, and he is also a featured columnist for the Sun Times. Ebert recently exhibited the utmost bravery in revealing to the world his face for an interview in Esquire.

Some might call it monstrous, others might call it honest, but it is nonetheless the reality for Ebert now. He speaks through a computer, and through notes he writes. Supported by his wife Chaz, Ebert remains a very key member of the film world.

Many say Ebert is dying; he prefers to think of things more optimistically. While his time with us may be limited, his impact is not. His passions, and opinions, will live on forever in his writing, his television series’, and his trademarked “thumbs up”.