A great and comforting voice who nursed many members of this generation through countless days fell silent Thursday. Fred Rogers, the gracious and humble \Mister Rogers"" passed away at the age of 74 after a brief battle with stomach cancer.
Rogers, through his show ""Mister Rogers' Neighborhood"" reached countless young people with a positive presence and a cardigan sweater. His show was the product of years of commitment to children and a commitment to their well-being. ""Mister Rogers' Neighborhood"" took the medium of television and found a core of innocence within.
""I thought there was some way of using this fabulous instrument to be of nurture to those who would watch and listen,"" Rogers said, regarding his use of television. Where these days of children's programming consist of flashing graphics and too-fast-to-remember moments, Mister Rogers delighted easily distracted young minds with his strolling pace.
The show never needed to rush, allowing it to give Rogers the time every day to change shoes when he came indoors. Mister McFeely, the perennial postman, always had a minute to say a good word. Even the trolley knew not to hurry.
Fred Rogers possessed a genuine kindness of character and welcoming demeanor that every child recognized as honest. His benevolence was unbounded and it seemed as though his warm heart could stop beating. He will stand as the next door neighbor every kid wished he had and longed to see the next door down. The memory of him shall remain as glowing as his smile and as untarnished as those childhood days he crafted.
