Milton Soldani Afonso, Golden Cross founder, dies at 103

Milton Soldani Afonso, a prominent Brazilian entrepreneur and philanthropist, died on Wednesday, September 2, at the age of 103. He passed away while receiving intensive care at the Hospital Samaritano in Rio de Janeiro.

A native of Nova Lima, Minas Gerais, Afonso rose from humble beginnings to become a pioneer in Brazil’s private healthcare sector. In 1971, he founded Golden Cross, which became one of South America’s largest health insurance operators during the 1980s.

Afonso was also a major benefactor to the Seventh-day Adventist Church. His contributions included financing educational scholarships, supporting social initiatives, and aiding the expansion of Adventist communication networks. Notably, he donated property in Nova Friburgo that contributed to the development of the Rede Novo Tempo de Comunicação and supported the Biblical Archaeology Museum at the Adventist University Center of São Paulo.