Senator Brent Hill's son dies of lung cancer

Illness prompts legislation to outlaw smoking in most public places

Parts excerpted from the Spokesman Review, 2004-02-24

Business in the Idaho state Senate came to a halt Monday, when word came that Sen. Brent Hill's son, Ritchie, died at 10:45 a.m.

Ritchie Hill, who had just turned 28 last month, was a nonsmoker who succumbed to lung cancer. His illness helped prompt his father to propose this year's controversial smokefree workplace legislation that eliminates smoking in most Idaho workplaces and public places, including restaurants.

The clean indoor air bill, SB 1283, passed the Senate by a 22-13 vote on Feb. 13.  It is now pending in the House Health and Welfare Committee, where a hearing is likely to be scheduled in the next week or two.

Senator Hill hasn't mentioned his son's illness as he pushed for his legislation this year, but his daughter-in-law, Stacey Hill, testified in favor of the bill before the Senate State Affairs Committee.  She said that Ritchie was a healthy, active man who "never smoked a cigarette."

Four days after his 27th birthday, doctors discovered Ritchie's lung cancer. Even as he sought treatment at the hospital, Stacey recalled having to walk with him through a choking haze of smoke outside the hospital doors, where smokers gathered.  SB 1283 would ban smoking within 20 feet of entrances to hospitals, airports, shopping malls and other public places.

News of the death stunned senators on Monday, and they quickly called an early halt to the day's business. The Senate chaplain offered a prayer before they adjourned.  Senate President Pro-tem Robert Geddes said, "We've been following Ritchie's progress since early last summer... The type of cancer that he had was especially rare and uncommon in a young man of his age who had never smoked."

Ritchie Hill left behind three small children in addition to his wife.  

Condolences can be sent to bhill@senate.state.id.us

(excerpts from smokefree.net)