I remember seeing an awards show about 2 or 3 years ago. I want to say it was the Golden Globes, but probably wasn't. Anyway, they gave Mr Rogers a lifetime achievement award or the equivalent of. When he took the stage to accept it, he was his usual self (in a tux though, not a sweater) with that calm, soothing voice.
And he gave a very moving speech about how everyone came from someone else and how you grew into what you were because of them. And when he said "Remember who helped you get where you are now and appreicate them..." they showed Jack Nicholson crying uncontrolably. As the camera panned over the audience, you could tell he wasn't the only one deeply affected.
The death of Fred Rogers hurts me very deeply. Where the world is on the brink of a number of dangerous fates, we lose one of the great voices and most well-meaning people. He also was fiercely (a strange word to use for the man) against commercialism and hocking warez; where Captain Kangaroo and Soupy Sales were advertising toys and foodstuffs on their shows during the early days, Fred Rogers said he would never sell out to buisness, that the children were more important than money.
I do not get along at all with my mom's boyfriend. He's a complete prick to me and we've had more than a few spats to say the least. However, despite our 11-year running fued, I admire him for one thing: he has an autographed postcard from Mr Rogers on the vanity mirror in his room. I've looked at it a number of times. Strange that two people who practically hate each other's guts find comfort in the same moral man.
I will dearly miss Mr Rogers. I'm sure he'll meet Trolly on the other side...