October 17, 2019 The Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund mourns the loss of Representative Elijah Cummings (D-MD), who died at age 68 on October 17. Representative Cummings was an advocate for truth and justice from childhood until the end. Even on his last public appearance on September 11, 2019, he spoke out in support of disabled people at risk of deportation. Anyone familiar with Cummings' career should not be surprised.