The former US Senator and Vietnam Veteran John McCain died with 81 Years old after an brain tumor:

https://edition.cnn.com/videos/politics/2018/08/26/john-mccain-dead-at-81-bash-pkg-vpx.cnn

R.I.P, Maverick. 

https://www.abc15.com/news/state/arizona-senator-john-mccain-has-passed-away-at-the-age-of-81

 

As a naval pilot, he narrowly escaped death in a fire aboard the USS Forrestal in 1967.

Also in 1967, McCain's plane was shot down over Hanoi, Vietnam,  and spent more than five years as a prisoner of war, refusing release until all POWs captured before him had been freed.

 

I'm not sure if they still do, but back then American had a first out policy, which meant the first person captured was released, going in order from when they were captured.  The fact that he refused this and wouldn't leave his men, enduring more torture in order to save them, is a level of heroism that most people will never even understand.

 

“In prison, I fell in love with my country. I had loved her before then, but like most young people, my affection was little more than a simple appreciation for the comforts and privileges most Americans enjoyed and took for granted. It wasn't until I had lost America for a time that I realized how much I loved her. ” ― John McCain, Faith of My Fathers: A Family Memoir

 

Exactly, he said it perfectly.  We take everything for granted, and forget that it could be taken away in a second.

 

 

He chose to stop treatment and died within a day.  The form of cancer he had was very aggressive. Most of the time you hear people stop treatment and have maybe a few months, he had a day.  Just think about that for a minute.

I heard he gave up US package route information to the VC'. It's unfortunate he fell ill, however a lot of US Service members are not fond of him due to his release of information to the enemy while captured.