American astronaut, former Navy officer, and college professor Neil Armstrong passed away last week, but his legacy is sure to last many lifetimes to come, along with the tale of Apollo 11 and the “first man on the moon.” He logged over 900 test flights in the NASA program before his epic expedition. After he made his moondust footprint at age 38, Armstrong went on to receive a plethora of honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, and the Congressional Gold Medal for his undeniably brave and groundbreaking work NASA. Post-Apollo 11, he taught in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Cincinnati, and later assisted NASA in assessing re-designs of their subsequent spacecrafts. He served on the boards of various companies which he felt had strong engineering divisions and became a spokesman to some. After his death on August 25th, his family released the following statement — an adequately noble closing statement to an iconic man’s life:
“Neil Armstrong was also a reluctant American hero who always believed he was just doing his job. He served his Nation proudly, as a navy fighter pilot, test pilot, and astronaut. 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.”