It is an honor and a privilege to be standing here today. So I believe that I am here to represent the hundreds, probably thousands, of little guys, and of many far from little guys. He was well-informed on almost any topic of conversation. He probably knew more about the history of your country than you knew yourself. He was constantly making incisive comments on the political situation.
Many people can ask questions which are impossibly difficult or trivially easy.
It is given to few of us to tread the narrow path between triviality and unattainability. So often, when we are fumbling with our research, it is because we are not asking the right question. He knew better than you yourself knew what you were capable of. He gave the confidence that many of us needed to embark on mathematical research. Those who didn't know him well thought that he just threw out ideas and got others to write for him.