Neil Armstrong, the first man to step foot on the moon, died at 2:45 pm today as a result of complications from heart surgery he underwent several weeks ago. He was 82.
Neil Armstrong, along with Apollo 11 lunar module pilot Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, became the first men to touchdown on the surface of the moon on July 20, 1969. Armstrong was the first to make his way down the lunar module ladder to step on the lunar surface and utter those famous words that everyone has heard:
“That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”
Before becoming an astronaut, Armstrong was in the United States Navy and served in the Korean War. After the war, he served as a test pilot at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) High-Speed Flight Station, now known as the Dryden Flight Research Center, where he flew over 900 flights in a variety of aircraft. He graduated from Purdue University and the University of Southern California.
The Armstrong family issued this statement following the death Armstrong:
“While we mourn the loss of a very good man, we also celebrate his remarkable life and hope that it serves as an example to young people around the world to work hard to make their dreams come true, to be willing to explore and push the limits, and to selflessly serve a cause greater than themselves.
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.”
Here is the video of Armstrong’s famous moon walk:
