Farewell, Senator Glenn

Today we lost one of America’s best-known astronauts, John. H. Glenn, Jr. He was the first American to 0rbit Earth and among the oldest to fly in space decades after his first flights. He was one of my personal heroes and personified, for me, the fact that a good person could go to space and achieve a lot.  I was just a school child when he made his first flights to space, but his name was  household and classroom word. We followed the exploits of Mr. Glenn and his fellow astronauts across all the Mercury missions.

Not only did this man serve his country in time of war, he led the race to space, and then served honorably as a senator. He also once ran for president, and I often wonder what America could have become under his leadership. Certainly he outshines most other senators serving today.

Goodbye, Senator-and-Astronaut Glenn. You inspired generations of young people with your work. We are proud you were with us for 95 years.