Even by the standards of globally recognized figures such as famous actors or rock stars, he has—in part because of his illness, but also because he courts attention—experienced a roller-coaster ride of a life. And as he moved on to the eighth decade of that existence, the ride seems to have become faster and bumpier. Whether co-hosting with Sir Ian McKellen the introduction to the 2012 Paralympics in London or wowing an audience of thousands with his public science lectures, Hawking has become a figure as well known as the most media-savvy star. But it has not been all glamour and adoring acolytes. During 2003, some nasty rumors began to circulate around Cambridge that Hawking was the victim of physical abuse, and several of his nurses claimed that Stephen’s then-wife, Elaine Mason, was behind the ill treatment, neglect, and at times actual physical attacks. One particular nurse, Sue Masey, claimed that Elaine Mason was “a monster” and resigned, claiming she could no longer stand working for the family.
