After a 2 1/2 year battle with prostate cancer, best-selling author Vince Flynn has passed away. He was 47.
According to CBS Minnesota, Mr. Flynn passed away, at St. Paul’s United Hospital, earlier this morning.
In January of 2011, he posted the following on his site:

In November, at the end of my last tour, I was diagnosed with Stage III metastatic prostate cancer. Just a few years ago, this diagnosis would have been a death sentence. Today, specialists are making great strides in the areas of hormone therapy and immune response, and there are several very promising drug trials that are changing the landscape of how prostate cancer is treated.
My treatments are working very well, and my near term prognosis is extremely good. In other words, I have more than a few Rapp novels left in me. My attitude is strong, and I feel better than I have in years. I am blessed to be surrounded by a wonderful wife, family, and great friends who have been extremely supportive. My faith has seen me through the darkest moments, and early on, when the diagnosis was not entirely accurate, things were very dark indeed. I am also blessed that I live in a part of the country that is known for great medical care. I have a wonderful group of doctors who are confident that I can beat this thing. For those of you who have gotten to know me, it will not be a surprise to you that this is a battle I do not plan on losing. As with any cancer, this is serious, but the good news is that I have lots of options for slowing this thing down, and then hopefully killing it.
I am currently working with Brian Haig on our joint novel and have started the next Rapp novel that should be out in October of 2011. Please keep me and my family in your thoughts and prayers, and I will try to keep you posted as things progress.

He periodically updated fans and always matained a positive attitude.
Vince’s career started when he self-published Term Limits. He booked a big local media appearance and went to every bookstore in the Twin Cities right before a WCCO appearance. At the time, I was abn assistant manager for B. Daltons and convinced me to order the book. The next week, we were sold out and scrambling to find more copies. When he did a second printing, Barnes & Noble bought over half of the run and put it in a select number of stores across the country. While many vilify self-publishing, Vince showed that it can be a good tool to establish yourself and gain a better bargaining position.
Flynn authored 15 books and was the creator of Mitch Rapp. He is survived by his wife and three children.