I feel the same as AnnieL. an honorary Doctorate is not given to somebody just because they are a nice guy either. They must demonstrate a level of accomplishment that equals to the theory of study in academia.

Try to be open-minded about the situation. I am sure this person has earned the title with more than a sweet smile and a few life experiences. It could be that many people do not learn well in the formal setting and they chose another path of learning. They could have done all the research and read all the same textbooks but never stepped into a classroom. The academic environment teaches in a way that may be do-able for most but not for all.