This was the last paragraph of the press release from Neil Armstrong’s family after his death in 2012.
"For those who may ask what they can do to honor Neil, we have a simple request. Honor his example of service, accomplishment and modesty, and the next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink."
Neil was my most admired hero. I remember staying up all night glued to the TV when he made the famous step on the moon July 20 1969. Seven days later our first child, a daughter was born so that is an easy date for me to remember.
Neil chose not to cash in on his fame for monetary gain; he chose to stay out of the lime light and live the rest of his life as a scholar and teacher in Cincinnati, Ohio.
I watched the few interviews he gave. To me he seemed a modest and gentle person, very likable.
As a pilot, test pilot and astronaut he must have had nerves of steel and a methodic calmness in performing his job. He was admired by his fellow astronauts for staying with the lunar landing module while testing on earth. When it went out of control he stayed with it trying to regain control and ejecting only at the last second before it crashed.
When he and Buzz Aldrin made the moon landing they only had 20 seconds of fuel left before they were to abort the mission and return to the orbiter. Neil and Buzz had already decided to land whether they had enough fuel left or not to return home.
For father’s day my wife got me a cement casting of the moon, man in the moon smiling with a wink; an astronaut, Neil, stepping on the moon with the USA flag and a sign pointing back to Wapakoneta, Ohio, his birth place. I hung it up as a memorial to my hero Neil Armstrong.
Next time you look at the moon give a Wink!
Don
