Michael Downing, whose books illuminated his illness and the lives of others, dies at 62
Michael Downing, whose books illuminated his illness and the lives of others, dies at 62 By Bryan Marquard Globe Staff,Updated February 28, 2021, 4:38 p.m. Email to a Friend Mr. Downing, equally adept at fiction and nonfiction, wrote nine books. (Pat Greenhouse/Globe staff/file) At 45, Michael Downing learned that his excellent health was a mirage, obscuring a genetic defect that probably had led to his fatherâs death from a heart attack at 44. The first symptom of his demise, he learned, would be abrupt and final. A series of doctors âleaned a little forward in their chairs and sai...