Neil Armstrong 1930-2012

I'm still feeling a bit gut-punched from the passing of Neil Armstrong. It isn't every day you lose one of your childhood heroes. And a true American hero he was too-- not a thrill seeker, not a glory-hound, but a soft-spoken engineer who sought to expand the realm of human knowledge by flinging himself off the face of the Earth at great peril to himself and his companions. He stepped out upon an new world, the first human being to do so, and left his footprint quite indelibly upon its surface. That same footprint was left indelibly upon my four-year old imagination. I looked on his heroic feat (feat not feet) with wonder that grew into a lifelong love of science and space exploration. Here's to you Neil Armstrong, you were the real-deal with the right stuff and mankind will be forever in your debt for the giant leap you took on our behalf. Thank you sir. Rest well.