An anti-AIDS crusader hailed for devoting his life to helping people afflicted by the disease has died.

Michael Duarde Fox, director of the Allen Vincent Smith Foundation until it closed, was 45.

Throughout the 1990s Mr. Fox was an outspoken advocate for people with HIV and AIDS because he felt Bermuda failed to address their needs or acknowledge their presence.

While Mr. Fox was a charity leader and advocate it was his personal involvement in people's lives that illustrated his chivalrous and compassionate nature.

Mr. Fox, of Friswell's Road, Devonshire, was the director of the Allen Vincent Smith Foundation until it closed due to lack of funding. He was also instrumental in the hospice movement and participated in a number of early committees.

His brother Sheldon Fox, who spoke on behalf of the family, said Michael always had a talent for bringing people together since a young age.

"His talent for drawing people together goes back to childhood, he was a likeable guy," Sheldon said. "And he would dazzle anyone when he played the on the piano. He was as well known on the Island as a musician as he was an AIDS advocate."

The Allen Vincent Smith Foundation was created to educate the public about all aspects of the disease. As director of the Foundation he was an outspoken proponent for a National AIDS Committee and national awareness campaign.

PLP backbencher, Nelson Bascome, who was Minister of Health while Mr. Fox was Director of the foundation was shocked to hear of his death.

"He was diligent and an avid crusader for the whole movement of educating people concerning AIDS and was in the forefront in the Caribbean district and a leader in providing information not only to Bermuda but indeed the Caribbean," Mr. Bascome. "He will be sorely missed. He not only did his work on behalf of persons afflicted with AIDS but he dedicated his life and his craft to assisting persons inflicted with the disease."

But his involvement and humanity went beyond his contributions to the Foundation, he also became involved on a personal level. In 1998 he heard of a woman with AIDS who was incarcerated for drug related offences. The woman was the mother of three children, her husband had already succumbed to the disease. Mr. Fox got involved in the children's lives by taking them to weekly lunches and to see their mother.

More importantly he facilitated the family's reunion after the children had been deported to Canada and their mother took a turn for the worse. Mr. Fox wrote to the Governor and asked for clemency so the woman could spend her remaining days with her kids. Governor Thorold Masefield granted the clemency and allowed the woman to board a flight to Canada.

Sheldon said his brothers desire to help people and determination came from being brought up in the Salvation Army Church. "He has always been the type of person who would help others," Sheldon said.

He added that his brother was determined to bring AIDS to the forefront of dialogue on the Island because it was something people were not discussing.

"Because Michael has always been passionate he knew that education was the key," he said. "He knew that it was important to make information more readily available information to everyone in the community ? those who understood it, lived through it and those who didn't care . Michael is one of six children and leaves behind him brothers Ledrew, Lawrence (Larry), David and Sheldon. He also leaves behind him his sister Lynda Fox Augustus. "He will be missed by his entire family," Sheldon said. "We would also like to say that our brother rededicated his life to the Lord in the last few months."

Michael died on Tuesday. His funeral is planned for March 28 at the Salvation Army Church on North Shore.