Mr Rogers an Icon of American Culture Continues to Touch Lives, After All These Years

On Thursday, February 27, 2003, an icon of American culture died. I am not talking of Babe Ruth, "Miss America" or even Lassie. The icon I am speaking of is Mister Rogers of MISTER ROGERS NEIGHBORHOOD fame. Diagnosed with stomach cancer shortly before Christmas, Fred Rogers, age 74, succumbed to the disease that claims so many each year, on Thursday. Though the show stopped production in December of 2000 and then aired in August of 2001, producers were still airing re-peats of this ageless program up to and after he became too ill to participate in new episodes. I honestly had forgotten about this book until I learned of his death.

Children in the "tie dye" 60's, the "disco" 70's, "big hair" 80's, "brand name" 90's and even the New Millennium, sat down each day in front of their T.V.'s and watched this soft spoken man with the gentle smile, low-key voice and ever present sweater and slippers. He was a part of nearly 4 generations of children, even some whom watch today with their grandchildren, a show which is virtually unchanged from when they watched themselves as children years ago. In fact, I vividly remember babysitting a little girl after school every day when I was in Junior High and she INSISTED on watching MISTER ROGERS every day. To be honest, I sat and watched with her, for his simple honesty and unconditional caring, touched all ages. This self-same young girl is now a Mother of a teenager, the same child whom she recalls having watched Mister Rogers as intently when she was a child, as did her Mother those 30 plus years ago!