Monday evening, I received the sad news that Leon Charney, an unsung American hero and champion of world peace, had passed away. I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Charney last December when he was awarded an FAU honorary doctorate in recognition of the pivotal role he played in achieving the historic 1978 peace accords between Israel and Egypt.

A lawyer and businessman, Mr. Charney worked through “back door channels” to bring together Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat for peace talks at Camp David. The resulting peace agreement — the first ever concluded between the Jewish state and an Arab nation — remains in effect to this day. President Jimmy Carter called Mr. Charney “the unsung hero” of that great accomplishment. He went on to become a highly successful New York real estate investor, author and award-winning talk show host.

The world lost a great man in Leon Charney, who showed us that one person can make a huge difference in the world. I want to extend my most sincere sympathy to Mr. Charney’s wife, Tzili, and their twin sons, Mickey and Nati.

As we reflect on the life of this champion of peace, I also want to extend my deepest sympathy to the people of Belgium in the wake of the horrible attacks Tuesday in Brussels. I know I speak for the entire Florida Atlantic University community when I say our thoughts are with everyone affected by the attacks.