Sydney was just going to lunch when word got out that our columnist Sam de Brito had been found dead in his Bondi home a few hours earlier on Monday morning.

Immediately the internet began to lament.

Sam de Brito was essentially a very private man. Yet he wore his column on his sleeve and the public man had been a part of Sydney life for 13 years. It was his last column that struck home the deepest.

On Sunday, de Brito wrote in The Sun-Herald about the joys of sharing his bed with his daughter:  "Childbirth, breastfeeding, co-sleeping - it's difficult for a male to voice an opinion on these subjects without coming off as telling women what to do with their bodies, so you won't find this caveman going there ... except.

"Except, when you're a single father, you get to make your own decisions about co-sleeping when your child stays overnight.

"Thankfully, my ex and I agreed upon this enthusiastically; we embraced co-sleeping, still do, and believe it's been a cornerstone of our five-year-old daughter's serenity and security.

"I understand why people don't co-sleep. Mum and dad in bed, plus a child or two - it gets crowded; there are more kicks and punches to the face than a Fremantle home game. Still, from the moment our daughter came home, both of us thought it bizarre to shipwreck her in another bed, let alone another room.

"Homo sapiens and homo erectus have survived more than two million years sleeping with their children, and when I draw my daughter into my chest, smell her hair and mumble love to her in the quiet hours of the night, I feel more a father, more human, than at any other time. Best of all, my daughter wakes calm and happy ... before she sits on my head."

Seconds after the Herald ran a story on Monday about de Brito's death, messages started flooding in.

His media colleagues were quickest off the mark.

Mia Freedman tweeted:

The comedian/columnist Wendy Harmer:

Radio man Ben Fordham:

ABC broadcaster Allan Clark:

Jessica Rudd, writer and daughter of former prime minister Kevin Rudd:

Age sports journalist Daniel Cherny:

Over the years, as Bondi moved from a beachside suburb towards a destination for both backpackers and wealthy young workers, de Brito became a fixture who reflected a local take on life.

In the process he became a bit of a local identity.

His tireless work with the North Bondi SLSC as it struggled to raise funds for a new clubhouse five years ago was well appreciated in the local community. On Monday, North Bondi SLSC posted on Facebook: 

A very sad morning for North Bondi Surf Club. Sam De Brito was a much loved club member and the former Communications...Posted by North Bondi SLSC on  Sunday, October 11, 2015

The diversity of his columns touched on many subjects and touched many hearts.

Even his eating habits were appreciated. The vegan/ethics/animal rights website Shell Ethics tweeted: 

RIP Sam de Brito who passed away yesterday. He was a long time vegan writer/journalist, and wrote many... http://t.co/cAbDXeVZuO— Shellethics (@shellethics) October 12, 2015

Similarly Animal Liberation NSW lamented Mr de Brito's passing.

Really terrible news. The animals have lost a strong, passionate, and articulate voice on their side. If you haven't, check out Sam's articles from the last couple of years when he made the choice to start living a more compassionate life as a vegan. Thoughts are with his family, and an immeasurable debt of gratitude to all the lives he saved and minds he changed. RIP.Posted by Animal Liberation NSW on  Sunday, October 11, 2015