We are saddened to announce that Dr. Bruce G. Blair, Co-Founder of Global Zero and President of its Board of Directors, died unexpectedly on Sunday, July 19, following a sudden illness.

Derek Johnson, Executive Director of Global Zero, released the following statement on behalf of the organization regarding the recent passing of Dr. Blair:

“I am heartbroken at the sudden loss of my colleague, mentor, and dear friend, Bruce Blair.

“15 years ago, Bruce brought together an unprecedented international community of leaders and visionaries to build a new kind of movement to persuade governments to come to their senses and eradicate the most catastrophic weapons on the planet. A veteran nuclear launch officer and unrivaled expert in command and control, Bruce understood — perhaps better than any single person alive — the urgency, enormity, and complexity of the nuclear threat. He built the Global Zero movement from the ground up and devoted all of his energy to making the world safer and better for all people.

“Bruce was a creative genius: brilliant, passionate, and relentlessly visionary in the face of the status quo. He worked tirelessly to focus the world on the inherent dangers posed by nuclear weapons — and to illuminate the path to a world without them. Bruce spoke with quiet, compelling force. He saw through the fog. He approached every conversation as an opportunity to challenge old assumptions and expand his thinking. He was big-hearted, steadfast, and sincere, and never missed an opening for wry humor.

“Bruce was a fundamentally good and remarkable human being. We are proud to have been on part of his journey and will always cherish his legacy of leadership, scholarship, and mentorship. He leaves behind an organization shaped by his values and convictions, and a global movement that will finish what he started.

“All of us at Global Zero are holding Bruce’s family and his many friends in our hearts. We will miss him terribly, and we will honor his memory in the only way we know how: by continuing his work and seeing his life’s mission through to the end.”

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You can read more about the life and achievements of Dr. Bruce Blair in his obituary in The Washington Post.

If you would like to make a contribution to Global Zero in Bruce’s memory, please click here.