Pope Francis refused to heed advice to slow down in his final few years, preferring to "die with his boots on", according to a close aide.
While he describes a polite, gentle and compassionate man, Archbishop Gallagher also said Pope Francis knew his own mind and often defied the advice of those around him. "One thing I always admired about him – though did not always agree with at first – was that he didn't run away from difficult things," said Archbishop Gallagher.(BBC News)