The widely known public atheist Christopher Hitchens, 62, died from complications of pneumonia and cancer of the esophagus. He was Oxford educated and the author of several books who worked as a new correspondent and literary critic.
There's a YouTube 2008 presentation of an interview between Christopher Hitchens and Monsignor Lorenzo Albacete that I recommend. They are here: Video (you and access the video clips by looking at the index).
May God be good to him. (I can say this because I believe in God even if Christopher didn't.)