Helio Gracie (1913-2009) giving one of his last speeches. Photo: Mario Lyra.

Gilberto Gil, Gustavo Kuerten, Fernando Henrique Cardoso and Grandmaster Helio Gracie.

The four illustrious figures were the Brazilians elected by the Biography Channel to paint a picture of the face of the country. Each of them had a primetime TV special done on them.

After singer and former minister Gil (aired last weekend), tennis star Guga (September 13) and intellectual and former president Fernando Henrique Cardoso (in October), Helio’s life story will be told in the final episode of the series, on a November Sunday yet to be determined. The A&E channel will rerun the show on the same day at 11pm.

We wanted names that don’t just represent Brazil to Brazilians, but who are also of international relevance,” explained director of the series Rodrigo Astiz in an interview with “Revista da TV” (“TV Magazine”) in O Globo newspaper. The program is produced by Mixer.

The teacher was even featured on the cover of a comic book in Brazil.

According to the “O Estado de São Paulo” newspaper, the program Biography: Helio Gracie will show the life of the “family patriarch who became the symbol of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and revolutionized the sport around the world.”

“This tribute to Helio Gracie, now two years gone, is proof that someone only really dies when we stop talking about him,” said Kyra Gracie, the master’s great granddaughter, as quoted in the Brazilian newspaper. “Helio didn’t produce fighters, but human beings.”