a very disciplined lifestyle. Every day, even when he was 80 years old, he spent at least one hour doing physical activity (gymnastics, etc.). Although he was never a very passionate football fan, Nicolaescu stated in a 2011 interview for the Romanian daily sports newspaper Gazeta Sporturilor that capital-based team Steaua București was the dearest to him throughout time, even though he played rugby at Dinamo București. He explained this by saying that he liked the former Steaua legends Gheorghe Hagi, László Bölöni and Dan Petrescu more than Dinamo's players. Nicolaescu declared in the same interview that he also liked Ripensia Timișoara and Universitatea Craiova in their glory days, but not as much as Steaua. Nicolaescu was married three times. He did not have children and this was his main regret. Failing health and death Nicolaescu had been diagnosed since 2000 with diverticulitis, a benign and chronic digestive condition that was acting up every couple of years. In January 2008 he underwent brain surgery twice due to an accident. At that time, he was 78 years old. The doctors did not give him any chance for success because at the time of his first brain operation he was completely paralyzed. He had to learn how to walk, speak and write again, and he successfully managed to do it after 3 months of intense physiotherapy and neurological exercise. Nevertheless, after this brain surgeries he said he changed dramatically: he started feeling his age and he started changing his behaviour (more impatient and irritable). In his last years the health problems made his life difficult. Yet he continued directing, acting and planning new films. He maintained intact his huge passion for filmmaking until the end of his life. On 26 December 2012 he was admitted with atrial fibrillation and a traumatised thorax with pulmonary contusion to the Elias Hospital in Bucharest. He complained of pain in the lower abdomen and loss of appetite. After the clinical examination, the doctors concluded that he was suffering from an acute episode of diverticulitis, and he received treatment for this condition. During the treatment, Nicolaescu's condition improved, but the intestinal transit was not functional and the blood work was still unsatisfactory. The doctors opted for an exploratory laparoscopy, which led to the discovery of an acute perforated appendicitis complicated with peritonitis. After undergoing surgery, Nicolaescu developed respiratory complications, leading to acute respiratory failure within 48 hours.