March 26, 1931 – February 27, 2015
Leonard Nimoy, the actor known for his portrayal of Spock in the Star Trek franchise, has died in his home in Bel Air at 83. He died of end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease his wife Susan Bay Nimoy confirmed. He had shared that he was dealing with the disease and attributed it to his many years of smoking. He did quit 3 decades ago. He also had been hospitalized earlier this week with chest pains.
Nimoy was most known for his role as Spock. He first appeared as Spock in the pilot episode of Star Trek and then went on to play him for three seasons. He would return to this role throughout the rest of his life in movies and in Star Trek TV shows. He was also a director, photographer (incredibly talented), and taught acting to others. He left an indelible mark on everything he did.
One arena where he left a mark on later in life was that of the Twittersphere. He tweeted regularly and continued to encourage people and share his wisdom and experiences for all to see… and they were incredible. This morning this was posted on his twitter:
Leonard Nimoy 1931-2015
Hi all, as you all know, my Grandpa passed away this morning at 8:40 from end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He was an extraordinary man, husband, grandfather, brother, actor, author-the list goes on- and friend. Thank you for the warm condolences. May you all LLAP. – Dani
P.s. I will be putting special shirts up on our site, SHOPLLAP.com , where all of the proceeds will go to the COPD Foundation. I hope to hear from you all.
The final tweet that Leonard Nimoy posted was:
A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP
— Leonard Nimoy (@TheRealNimoy) February 23, 2015
For me, Leonard Nimoy will always be first and foremost Spock. He literally wrote the book on what it was to be a Vulcan and while doing so, he taught about what it is to be human. His friendship on-screen and off with William Shatner was like that of brothers. Together, they could face anything the universe had to throw at them and defy the odds. As they went on all of these adventures through space (and sometimes Earth), they also taught lessons about acceptance of differences. Quite often, Spock was a catalyst for this as the lone alien on the bridge of the Enterprise.
Gene Roddenberry once called Leonard Nimoy “the conscience of Star Trek.” I have to wonder if that really was the gift of Leonard Nimoy. Despite appearing as an emotionless and logical half-vulcan; he taught fans about loyalty and friendship. Those are two lessons I’ve personally taken away from Star Trek, and more specifically Spock, that I’m quite thankful to Leonard Nimoy for teaching as he developed his character.
Spock seemed to always hone in on what really mattered, and as I’ve gotten to know Leonard Nimoy through his tweets in recent years… so did he. He knew who and what he cared about and he made sure to show that. Perhaps that is the lesson we can walk away with as we remember Leonard Nimoy and his legacy. Care about people and show them you care.
Leonard Nimoy ended every tweet with LLAP. Those who are fans of Star Trek recognize this as Live Long And Prosper. I think he genuinely did want every one to do this. I also think that he lived this. He did live long (not long enough) and he did prosper.
It is hard to not think of Star Trek: The Wrath of Kahn with the loss of Nimoy. After his death in The Wrath of Kahn, his friend Doctor Leonard McCoy said, “He’s not really dead. As long as we remember him.” Leonard Nimoy will be remembered((On a personal note, it is hard to say goodbye to Leonard Nimoy. It is difficult to write about the passing of someone that had such an influence on me and my friends growing up. He truly was the conscience of our childhood games and actions as Star Trek was central to many of our activities. He helped teach about life and death and now his death is like the death of a friend or more accurately, a mentor. I know this is a rough day for many who feel the same way. )) and I hope that his legacy of loyalty, friendship, and inclusion continues to live on and grow with that memory. Leonard Nimoy didn’t just create a memorable character, he was part of a movement that changed the world in it’s own way and for that we should be thankful.
Thank you for teaching us all how to Live Long And Prosper Leonard Nimoy.
