Michael was a great example for me as a person. My thoughts go to his lovely wife Sue. Mike, thank you for your wise life lessons you have me as a resident. It is partly because of you that I am the person I am today. “no worries mate”. You will me missed

I'm sadden to read Prof Michael Bennett has died, I worked with Michael in operating theatre's at Paddington RHW, when he was a registrar. I remember him being very humorous , did take him self too seriously, and the other nursing staff enjoyed working with him, which in it self a very good insight to this lovely humanbeing . I remember he and Yan running the Hyberbriac unit at POW. It's not everyday that one encounters such as wonderful person , highly educated , but always was able to communicate to ALL . My respects to his family Mary McDermott retired RN November 2023.

Mikes presence always lit up the room- his extensive knowledge, quick wit and keen sense of humour were only matched by the size of his heart, his capacity for empathy and deep humility. It was a pleasure and an honour to share "the office" with him and he will be forever remembered in our thoughts and hearts. My deepest condolences to his family.

Sad to hear, one of my favourite people. Always himself. A unique individual. May he grow chillies in paradise.

Although we never met in person, having been in contact with Michael on several occasions on Zoom and via email was enough to get a glimpse of his extraordinary personality which combined a sense of humour with scientific passion and incorrubtible interpretation of scientific facts. What a tragic and sad loss! And there is no chance left that we ever will meet.

Dear Mike - thank you for your time in supporting me and encouraging me. You were a true gentleman. I will remember your humour and kindness. May you rest amongst the waves.

Such wisdom, enthusiasm, collegiality and humility are rare. You were a rare find and we were so fortunate to have had you among us at POWH. Your legacy will live on. I'm just grateful we had the opportunity to express our admiration on the occasion of your retirement.

The heart and soul of the Hyperbaric program at POWH & PHH. A gentleman and a scholar. Cheers to you mike, a life well lived !

I have only just found our. I am really sorry to hear this. I worked at POWH for many years, our paths crossing often enough over patients with infections going for a 'dive'. Mike was always helpful, approachable and knowledgeable and happy to discuss any evidence. Sue was my GP for many years, my heart goes out to her and the family.

Like many, I knew of Mike before I ever met him. He was larger than life, and his contributions to the field of hyperbarics are invaluable. What really impressed me about him, though, was his manner. He always took the time to talk to people and make them feel seen. He was generous with his time and knowledge, and I consider myself privileged to have gotten to share some of it.

Mike was truly an amazing man, mentor and friend. He was a giant in his field and in life, yet always remained humble and inclusive and would make time for anyone and everyone. His generosity , wit and passion for learning were but some of his remarkable attributes which will be sorely missed. Like for many who both knew him and were fortunate enough to share in his wisdom, he has been instrumental in shaping both my knowledge and my career and for which I am truly indebted. We all now have Mike shaped holes in our hearts that will be impossible to fill and my condolences go to Sue and her family. Sending much love xxx

I have just heard the news of Mike's passing and confess to feeling more than a little undone. I was looking forward to swapping session scores in the upcoming Ashes as we had done so many times before. I will remember your intelligence, wit and that you carried a briefcase for a tour of the historic pubs of Sydney. Mike and Sue welcomed me into their home and gave me stories that I continue to bore contempories with to this day. I cannot believe I will not add to them with you, Mike. Love to Sue and the rest of the family.

Undoubtedly a global leader in diving and hyperbaric. Mike’s determined pursuit of high-level evidence to prove the detractors wrong was only matched by his endless resolve to highlight poorly designed research and misleading claims. It now passes to others to ensure that these efforts were not in vain. All, of course, achieved with good humour, good wine and limited wardrobe. Sincere condolences to Sue and family at this time. RIP Mike … thanks for the memories … all hail !!

We will miss you Mike for many reasons, both academic and social. Love to your family at this sad time and rest well.

Mike's ability to communicate verbally and in writing was second to none. He was a delightful gentleman, a great person with whom to share a beer and an anecdote. As a friend and colleague I will miss him very much.

Mike taught me the true meanings of wisdom, humility, and generosity in a man. He always made time, was incredibly patient, tolerant of all our foibles, yet lived life so passionately. He stood up for his values more than any I know. His energy and commitment to everything he did was evident to all. Mike’s mentorship and friendship meant an enormous amount to me over more than 20 years. I am relieved I had the opportunity to tell him this, multiple times. Though I will miss him enormously, I am confident his legacy will live on in so many. My thoughts go out to Sue and the family.

A champion of EBM in the hyperbaric and diving world. Happy to provide his acerbic wit to many a commentary and wash the evening down with a glass of full bodied red. Vale Mike. Your enthusiasm for learning and questioning will live on with the many if us whose lives you touched.

Mike, your retirement party was for checking out of work , not life. You must have missed the small print. You were a much loved friend and colleague. My heart goes out to Sue, who has been waiting patiently for your retirement. You have both been robbed of sharing your Golden years together. Too devasted to say more.

Prof Mike, you are always available for all who need your guidance. RIP.

A real great scientist and top clinician in his field. It was great honour to attend his course in 2013 , and then seeing him in the international conferences. Many can hardly see a publication or hyperbaric or diving book with immense quotation from his effort and real work with Cochrane reviews for almost all articles in the field

I only ever saw Mike at SPUMS, but he was someone I looked forward to catching up with each year. He was always to kind and welcoming. A life well-lived but cut short far too soon. Rest in peace, Mike. Much love to his loved ones.

Mike, you will be sadly missed by all whose lives you have touched. You were truly a pioneer and father of Hyperbaric Medicine and your contribution has established the discipline on a solid foundation. Your influence has been enormous across the globe. Most of all you have been a true friend, colleague, teacher, mentor, who always approached life with enthusiasm, energy and humour. Your work ethic was unquestionable, and your standards always first class. Our world has been richer for your existence. We share the devastating loss of your death and have Sue close to our hearts in this sad time. A job well done mate, but you've left us too soon.

On behalf of EUBS, our sincere condoleances to Sue and all Mike's SPUMS friends. He was an inspiration and an great connector - he will be sorely missed.

Mike’s North Star was wherever the Best Available Evidence pointed. He was one of, if not the most egalitarian and charming people I have ever met. A great Australian, who was beyond humble. My condolences Sue.

Such a generous, capable, kind, friendly person. He will be sorely missed.

Mike was an inspiration and mentor to generations of clinicians. He showed us what it looks like to be both a brilliant doctor and the most humble, kind person. I will miss his positive energy, his humour and his wise guidance. My heartfelt condolences go to Sue, his family and close friends. He will be so missed.

Mike … look like a Santa Clause, feel like a Santa Clause. I always think of him as Santa Clause. The Benevolent spirit, the true at Heart : Evidence Based Medicine, yet not imposing, not overwhelming but greatly influential feels was a rare touch. He was one of my mentor. The passion at work, yet full of richness of life, hobbies & enjoying life at the same time was a rare combination. I never knew where he find time for everything. Mike, Thanks for the guidance & you will forever be The Santa Clause! My condolences to the Sue & the family, Hugs.

Mike … look like a Santa Clause, feel like a Santa Clause. I always think of him as Santa Clause. The Benevolent spirit, the true at Heart : Evidence Based Medicine, yet not imposing, not overwhelming but greatly influential feels was a rare touch. He was one of my mentor. The passion at work, yet full of richness of life, hobbies & enjoying life at the same time was a rare combination. I never knew where he find time for everything. Mike, Thanks for the guidance & you will forever be The Santa Clause! My condolences to the family!

Prof Mike Bennett was the guest speaker at the 1st AHDMA ASM and subsequently also the guest speaker for the 10th anniversary ASM. Mike has been a great friend and supporter of the society. He will always be remembered for his excellent lectures and vast knowledge. Personally, I first knew Mike as my teacher at HMAS Penguin course in 2003. I also learned a lot from him when I did my attachment at POWH after the penguin course. Mike is a wonderful teacher, scientist par excellence and an inspiration to everybody. He will forever be remembered. Heartfelt condolences from all of us. A great loss to the diving and hyperbaric world.

So difficult to find the words for such a unique and special person. Such a loss and so unfair. A great doctor, a fabulous teacher, supportive mentor and very generous friend. We will always be grateful for his friendship and I, for his support. Sue, we were amongst the lucky ones who met or knew him and are all the better for it. He touched many and will be very sorely missed. Barb and Tim

Truely devastated to hear this news. He was a tireless worker promoting hyperbaric medicine and can’t be replaced. My deepest condolences to his wife, Sue.

Mike was such a humble man, nothing was ever too much trouble. He was generous with his wisdom, time, humour and of course wine. He will be greatly missed.

Mike you truly are an inspirational Professor, Doctor, Mentor & Leader. Always with a smile, & such a presence around PoWH. I will never forget your kindness.

Just a few thoughts and brief reminisce I don’t keep a logbook of life but have memories of Mike. He first came to Hull about 23 years ago, did his best to drink Hull dry, wrecked my back bathroom toilet, fixed it and the next morning off we drove to for a BHA meeting in Oxford. That’s another story. Back then you couldn’t Google “hyperbaric oxygen randomised controlled trials”, for two good reasons, Google as we know it didn’t exist and sensibly nor did many randomised controlled trials involving hyperbaric oxygen. Not so today, now even a simple Pubmed search will be fruitful and I think in large part due to Mike Bennet’s endeavours, patients and teaching. A champion of “best available evidence” and particularly the RTC. This man made a difference. I, like most others expected to see, talk and laugh some more with Mike, but it’s not to be, we may have had our last conversation nonetheless having known Mike as a friend and colleague he leaves me feeling richer for that privilege. I am sorry for his wife Sue and family’s loss my thoughts are with them

Mike, thanks for the your valuable friendship over the years. You have always been super-supportive. We all stand on the shoulders of giants, and your shoulders are decorated with many footprints, mine included. You will surely be missed. Farewell, dear friend.

Mike’s contribution to evidence based assessment of hyperbaric treatments and diving medicine is unsurpassed. On a personal level, he provided me with great encouragement.

One of the best guys around! So very helpful, kind, and thoughtful. I regret that I shall not be able to drink a bottle of Penfolds with him as I promised. I shall miss his dry wit and laughter at future meetings.

Mike was a true inspiration and fought for what was right in Diving and Hyperbaric medicine even if he took on some who were not interested in or tried to bend the science. He has taught us a lot and was always a good friend. I was lucky enough to know him and work with him in a few small areas. He will be much missed.

Mike, you will forever be in our hearts. Your passion and wisdom stood out above all others. Though we met but a few years back, it felt like so much longer. You have passed on much too soon. We had so much more to learn from you about not only about anaesthesia and evidence based medicine, but also the important things in life, good food, good wine and good company. You are sorely missed but may you rest in peace.

So many great memories! Evidence based journal club Big red dinner Golf on Mondays at the coast and golf trips to Melbourne Rutherglen wine festival So much fun with you n Sue. Not fair -Too sad.

Mike was the one to go to if you had any concerns or needed any information about hyperbaric medicine, hyperbaric tunnelling or diving medicine. He was brilliant with research. We had many discussions over research projects at the UHMS conferences. On another note, at the conferences Mike always knew the best places to go to for a meal or a drink. Mike helped the team at Wesley Hyperbaric many times for which we will always be grateful. RIP Mike

A great man and scientist: intelligent, empathetic and generous! Deepest condolences to family and close friends. Ciao Mike.

Thank you my great teacher Will always remember you Love you Mike

Deeply shocked and saddened by the news of your passing. Prof you were an incredibly warm, approachable and supportive presence in the anaesthetic department. I will always remember your wealth of knowledge, your dedication to your field, your enthusiasm for supporting emerging careers and generosity in celebrating the achievements of others. An immeasurable loss. Thinking of you and your family at this immensely difficult time. Rest in peace.

A great loss. Mike never tolerated anything les than robust, evidence based discussion! Such a great contributor to our field, but I will most fondly remember his passion for a quality steak and a glass of red.

A shining star that was respected and loved by all those he knew. You will be remembered with fondness and sadly missed. Our thoughts are with you Sue.

A rare talent, taken too soon.

He was rare gem! I will miss him, his sense of humor, humility, candor and his many contributions to the field of medicine. Rest easy my friend,

Sorely missed Mike. One of the critical scientific minds in hyperbaric medicine.

What a tragic loss. He was a wonderful scientist and critical thinker who brought so much to our field.

Mike Bennet was a key figure in the hyperbaric community, leading by example. His contribution to evidence based hyperbaric medicine is very significant and his legacy will pave the road for a new generation. I had the pleasure of meeting him last year in Reno, a very likeable person! My thought go to his family and friends, he will be sadly missed but never forgotten.

Mile Bennett was a truly one off among God's creations. He was a scientist of incredible talent and insight. He was a warm and understanding clinician. I was always impressed that Mike could be so busy and productive and still keep a balance in his life. He enjoyed outdoor sports-diving of course and bicycling and running in his early days. He had a well-developed wit and he was a warm and welcoming friend. My Most sincere condolences, Sue!

A great doctor, a giant in the field. A brilliant mate, and loving husband. My thoughts are with you Sue. Rob

Mike, you were taken away from us too soon. We have just lost a beautiful, loving, kind, considerate, brilliant and gentle soul in you and the world is so much poorer for it. The place is not the same without you. Your contribution will live forever. Your gentle smile, exhortations to practise evidenced based medicine, always a willingness to help and a wise word here and there will forever be etched in my heart. We will all miss you very much! todos te extrañaremos mucho! Adios mi amigo.

So sorry to hear of this sudden loss. A giant in the field and such a nice person. He will be greatly missed.

Mike opened the doors of POWH Hyperbaric Unit two decades ago for me to undertake a research fellowship. Besides being fantastic on the academic side of it he was always welcoming and very helpful during my stay in Australia. I will always be grateful for him giving me that opportunity and to be always available for mentorship during these last 20 years. We’ve lost one of the great ones. Deepest condolences to his wife, friends and family.

Dr Mike has been very helpful in our baby steps in creating a training program in hyperbaric medicine in Davao Sothern Philippines. He has welcomed me for a month (Aug 2022) tagging along with him, listening to tips and a source of treasured knowledge in this practice. Thank you very much Dr Mike. You are in our prayers. Our deepest condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.

The quite simply irreplaceable Mike from our community of research, diving medicine and beyond. His wisdom, friendship, advice and huge sense of humour will be missed by all who knew him – from sharp insightful comments and exchanges in a review, to outrageous jokes at the bar late at night, it will never be the same again. We are all shocked and deeply saddened. Most sincere condolences to Mike’s wife and family for such a deep loss.

I will miss him very much. An endless source of light, brilliance, humor, bundled with caring and humility. Sending love to his family, friends and colleagues.

The giant has gone to rest. Mike has been gigantic in his influence and the role he played in the hyperbaric academic world. He was a leader who led by example. He never shirked away from tackling difficult issues and never hesitated to call out bad practice and to criticize poor quality research. He encouraged and supported those who wanted to improve the academic standard of hyperbaric medicine. He will be sorely missed by all of us left behind. We will cherish his sparkling presence at our meetings and will remember him with great fondness. Our thoughts go out to his family who will miss him more than we do.

Dr Michael Bennett was a remarkable individual who held steadfast in his belief that good data would see us through. His positive contributions to the specialty of undersea and hyperbaric medicine will continue to endure and his memory will live on. On a personal note, I will miss his mentorship, humor, and the sound of his laugh.

Michael Bennett has suddenly passed away. A great scientist has suddenly left us. Mike was a key figure in hyperbaric medicine research in a global scale. A scientist with great insight and seriousness, combined with great humor and empathy. Amid of our grief over the loss of a great scientist, it is important to remember that Mike's scientific work will live on among us. A work our scientific community will benefit from for many years to come. My deepest thoughts go to his wife, close family, and friends. Ole Hyldegaard Professor University Hospital of Copenhagen - Rigshospitalet Immediate Past-President of the EUBS

Professor Bennett was a giant in anesthesia and hyperbaric medicine, and his expertise was well-known across the world. But what made him truly special was his unwavering humanity. He was kind and caring, always ready with a smile, a joke, or a word of encouragement. Your loss will be felt deeply by all who knew you.

Condolences to Mike's loving family. A great Academic,Clinician and normal down to earth Human Being. Many memories with the amazing 30 years I had at Prince of Wales. He really humanised a large teaching Hospital. Will be fondly remembered.

Prof was a true legend, who took such a passion in the teaching of his trainees and was an endless source of wisdom and knowledge. Always generous with his time, and with his cheeky sense of humour, I so enjoyed sitting in the hyperbaric unit with him, having a coffee and chatting about medicine and life. Anaesthetics and Hyperbaric trainees across Australia have lost a one-of-a-kind hero; I am sure we are all better colleagues, doctors, and people for having learnt from his example.

We hope that you find this tribute to Mike a place of comfort, support and inspiration for you to visit whenever you want or need to.

Everyone grieves in a way that is unique to them. If you need to speak to a bereavement expert please visit the GriefChat section at www.muchloved.com which is a completely free service where you can remain anonymous if you prefer.