Irish Girl Watches MISTER ROGERS For The First Time

[@JesterNR1]

The Wholesome Trinity: Fred Rogers - Be kind to others Steve Irwin - Be kind to animals Bob Ross - Be kind to yourself

[@MorrigansRaven3944]

JesterNR THIS🎯❤💯

[@bcaye]

Rogers actually was all three.

[@hectornonayurbusiness2631]

❤️

[@CeruleanFilms]

Jerry Springer - Take care of yourself and each other. (sorry, couldn't resist)

[@printezstroman]

Quartet, you forgot Levar Burton. He talked kids into reading...easily.

[@mikehenry1488]

Mr. Rogers undeniably could pick up Thor's Hammer.

[@yvonnesowell1838]

And he would say, “my, what a unique door stopper. We do not swing this at our friends, we sit down and talk to them when we have our differences...”

[@mikehenry1488]

Right? "Usually I keep hammers in the Garage, but this one is Special. Do you know why? Because my good friend Thor gave it to me."

[@alyssapinon9670]

Have you guys seen the comic about Mr. Rogers and Thor’s hammer? It’s hilarious and wholesome

[@sifuculreif6448]

Saint Fred, the Good Neighbor.

[@herefishyfishy13]

I imagine the two of them would just build a birdhouse with it, or to secure a neighbor's loose handrail or something

[@lilacghost2281]

The worst insult is saying, "You're not being the person Mr. Roger's believed you could be."

[@passgo8507]

Yeah. That hurts worse than "I'm not mad, just disappointed."

[@CdrChaos]

Be the kind of person Mr. Rogers would want as a neighbor.

[@the_gratefulgamer]

I wish somebody would tell racist cops this.

[@shamare04]

I felt that in my soul.

[@xkimikimjax7768]

Yikes! Dont do that!

[@paulhopkins1905]

Mr. Rodgers was doing a show where he was feeding his fish. He just did it, without explaining what he was doing. A blind girls father wrote him a letter saying his daughter loved the show, but missed out on alot of the unspoken stuff he did. So he made it a point to explain in detail every little thing that he was doing in the show to cater to blind children. The man was an absolutely wonderful human being.

[@ca1txcat]

oh wow! That's so cool. Yeah I remember the episoded I would watch he would explain what he was doing

[@caeliknight]

Yes she was worried that the fish were not being fed since she could not see it being done so from that time on he always verbalized when he fed the fish

[@frankiesayspanic]

it was actually that he’d talk about having a fish but didn’t say aloud anything about feeding it. the girl was worried he wasn’t feeding the fish and wrote to him about it, so from then on he said when he was feeding the fish out loud every time.

[@DIIELAST69]

this is accurate right on the money which he did on every episode from that day foward when the episodes would close.@@frankiesayspanic

[@paulhopkins1905]

@@Kelnx For someone not here to preach, you sure did a lot of preaching.

[@amyhodge7977]

The age range for Mr. Rogers was whenever you discovered him to forever. We never outgrow him

[@VC-nk3oz]

Well said! These video clips had me in my feels

[@lillylunapotter8079]

Wonderfully put Amy. Wonderfully put.

[@PrissyHippie]

Best answer ever!

[@AlanCanon2222]

Agreed (age 51 here).

[@mississippimud7046]

Aww that's so sweet and true 😉

[@danielmontilla1197]

Mr. Rogers was a devout christian, and yet he never, ever tried to impose his personal beliefs in any circumstance. He believed the best way to preach was through example and respecting other people's ideas. Now I don't know much about christianity, but I think he got as close as is humanly possible to the ideal of a true, good christian.

[@Earnestlie]

Mr. Rogers actually was a minister, who gently, faithfully and lovingly ministered to America's children for decades.

[@KD-bk7gd]

That is EXACTLY what Christianity is suppose to be. But like most things humans do, we screw it up lol.

[@howarthe1]

The things that he taught children were his religious beliefs. He did not teach theology.

[@capnheehee8103]

Best missionary tactic for Christianity I've ever seen. The people that obsess over doctrine and dogma are doing it wrong.

[@Anotherpuppychild]

He was a REAL christian. They way we are meant to be as human beings.

[@conflictmagazine]

The Electric Company taught us to read, Sesame Street taught us to count. Mr Rogers taught us to be decent people.

[@timnewman1172]

Amen!

[@umpteenthusername]

Ahhh, those good ole days of PBS after school!! I loved the mysteries you got follow on The Bloodhound Gang.

[@fairycat23]

Between the Lions also taught us to read!

[@Guppypants]

...in case our parents didn't.

[@summerstoker4705]

Well worded!!!

[@samanthanotsamiam8404]

I was in an accident when I was 6 that left me a quadriplegic. The hospital showed me a video of Jeff Erlanger on Mister Roger’s Neighborhood from 1981. He was also a child who was a quadriplegic. Seeing someone like me on tv who wasn’t sad or angry and was just living their life was huge. I wish he knew how much that one segment made a difference in my life.

[@teejay3272]

Thanks for that sharing that. You're a superstar. And I remember that episode. It impacted the able-bodied too. At least it did me.

[@bleu_chzst924]

God bless you 🙏

[@benjaminspinney8718]

My Dad was Bigbird for fifty years. Mr. Rogers called him to ask him on his show. He wanted Dad to get out of the Bigbird puppet on the Mr. Rogers show to show kids that it was make-believe, but Dad said he couldn't tell people Bigbird wasn't real. So Bigbird went on Mr. Rogers in the land of Make-believe where there were other puppets and he wouldn't have to tell kids that Bigbird wasn't real. Fred Rogers was JUST like he was on the show. It wasn't an act.

[@IamsTokiWartooth]

wow. just wow thank you

[@brigidtheirish]

Yeah. And he was very upfront and honest with the kids. He had a few episodes that showed how the episodes were filmed and how the puppeteering was done.

[@johnkrauser4830]

I'm grateful for your Dad! Thanks for sharing that. I saw the documentary about your Dad a couple of months ago. I bet you have lots of great memories.

[@timnewman1172]

Thanks for your father, he made Big Bird real...

[@ashleyanderson8776]

I love that you shared this, thank you.

[@JTScott1988]

He saved a ton of kids like me who grew up feeling unwanted and unloved.

[@dubuyajay9964]

I hope you are ok.

[@dmcoffman]

You are wonderful just the way you are.

[@SnivillusLupin]

Same! 🤗 Won't you be my neighbor? 😙

[@creativenative218]

Me too. 💖 Sending love to You.

[@brendalg4]

I have heard that he gets ridiculed for saying that kids are special because it is making them think they don't have to work for anything. They forget that some kids do not have anyone telling them that they are special except Mr. Rogers.

[@Cabingirlandrandomcrap]

I’m not saying Mr. Roger’s death ripped a hole in the cosmos, but... *gestures at everything*

[@normancooper596]

EVERYTHING

[@spleens4200]

He died the year I was born so I never got a chance to meet him, but I still miss him

[@InternationalBassStation]

Jack Bright ooorrr your birth ruined everything! :D

[@spleens4200]

@@InternationalBassStation that’s just rude

[@InternationalBassStation]

Jack Bright yeah, but it’s funny, yet extremely unlikely

[@lyingcat9022]

I’m a middle aged Army Combat Veteran and I’ve put Mr. Roger’s on TV for my Son and I’ll admit it’s impossible not to cry a little watching him. Between the nostalgia and his heartwarming messages some tears are unavoidable :)

[@ktburger659]

You are doing a great thing for your son! I wish every child was shown Mr Rogers, it would make the world a better place

[@Gummy_Pop.]

true...theres no avoiding crying from the show its so sweet and wholesome

[@zippymacadoo6336]

It's alright to cry. Crying lets the sad out of you. Free to be You and Me ❤

[@toddylu6869]

Thank you so much for your service to my country and for ensuring my freedom! I loved Mr Rogers, too.

[@TalesOfSurvival]

yeah he was one of the only calm male figures in my life all the rest were angry all the time if it wasn't for mr rogers i would have never learned it was okay to show other emotions besides rage.

[@ninagolgi3132]

I immigrated to the US from Africa at 7. Mr Rogers and Bob Ross made it a lot less scary. Amen for PBS.

[@contentlocked99]

Bob ross was just fantastic, I would watch him every weekend and be in awe how he turned a blank canvas into a masterpiece.

[@burniejarvis9298]

I wish all people could be as wonderful as those two men.

[@chrissiem3958]

Big shout out to LaVar Burton as well. He's the reason I'm literate xo

[@jakecollin5499]

That's awesome. Side note...amen = I agree

[@PatrickPoet]

I wish PBS was still like that. When Congress took away their public funding they had to drop a lot of things that didn't have high ratings.

[@amandashaheen7479]

Without Mr. Rogers there would not have been Sesame Street or the rest of PBS. His testimony before Congress saved it.

[@eieiolsenstudios4321]

It’s true! kzbin.info/www/bejne/nHzcaJ-gh9djd6M

[@KThyme]

@@eieiolsenstudios4321 She should definitely react to that video.

[@corymcdermott5096]

Mr. Rogers put that committee to shame.

[@groofay]

I've heard that that testimony is frequently used in law school classes, it's that good.

[@fatherjoe1134]

You mean The Electric Company

[@Matthew_Murray]

My favorite thing about Mister Rogers is that he started to narrate when he was feeding his fish because a blind girl who listen to his show wanted to make sure the fish was getting food.

[@wonnacottyledon]

Mr Rogers was doing alt text, and because of a single viewer. What a saint.

[@bloodyfunguy9025]

Awwww! I never knew that's why he started doing that!

[@smbee05]

That is so unbelievably sweet.

[@protorhinocerator142]

I never heard of this before but it sounds so very Fred Rogers.

[@scottwpilgrim]

He struggled to set up a tent for one episode, and I mean really struggled. The director offered to do a cut after the stage hand sets it up but Mr Rogers declined and instead, turned it into a lesson into trying your best and not being discouraged about failure.

[@simianmoonstudios]

I am fifty-six years old. I grew up watching Mr. Rogers. You are completely right; he was very calming. My parents argued a great deal, I struggled with low self-esteem because of learning disabilities. Mr. Rogers told me I was special and that he liked me just the way I was. I don't know what I would have done without that thirty minute haven everyday.

[@Gargess]

His episodes on Racism and Assassination were ground breaking pieces of television that people still talk about today.

[@emccoy]

Yeah and I know the episodes on Racism almost got him banned in several states. Which in hindsight is probably why he felt they were that important to do.

[@danigeo83]

I think a lot of his shows are still talked about. I remember the one about death was put out about the time my Great Grandma passed away and I remember it helping me understand what death is and why my dad had to be away for a week.

[@sleepinggorilla]

If you watch anything of Mr. Rogers you should watch the bit with Officer Clemmons and the pool. Francios Clemmons is a gay black man, and a phenomenal singer, who Rogers learned from and eventually encouraged him to be open about his sexuality. Rogers very quietly condemns racism and social inequality by inviting Clemmons to sit in the pool with him, and offering to wash his feet. A beautiful man.

[@LadyDragonsblood]

I was 6 when Robert Kennedy was assassinated..... Mr. Rogers was WONDERFUL and made me feel safe.

[@darthlobo1213]

Yup you proof that point!

[@susansname]

True story: Fred Rogers’ car was reported stolen on local TV in his city. When the thief learned who the car belonged to, it was returned. With a note on the dashboard apologizing.

[@killernyancat8193]

Actually, that's never been proven. It's just a rumor.

[@janisdeluca3028]

That's good karma...

[@maximdaniels9256]

But honestly, do you want to be the guy that stole Mr. Roger car in prison?.....that would put you in a bad position.....in more than one way.....😕

[@Rzo139]

@@maximdaniels9256 No joke, you wouldn't make it a day if the inmates found out you stole Mr. Rogers' car.

[@MrVvulf]

Fred Rogers has that in common with Alexander the Great, whose transportation (horse) was stolen after defeating Darius III. Although I'm pretty sure they handled the news quite differently. I can't see Fred vowing to "fell every tree, lay the countryside to waste, and slaughter every inhabitant in the region. The horse was soon returned along with a plea for mercy."

[@soonertee]

Mr. Roger's could wear the One Ring and not become corrupted by it.

[@gwouru]

Nobody but Sauron himself could do that... since the one ring is Sauron.

[@colinmerritt7645]

Perhaps, but I think Sauron would have been much nicer with Mr. Rogers in his life.

[@gwouru]

@@colinmerritt7645 Do you honestly think that an angel who rebelled against his god, would give two shits about what some puny mortal, who will only exist for a fraction of a second, compared to him, has to say? Do you seriously think that there are no nice guys in LOTR, that compare to Fred Rogers? What about Samwise? Or Galadriel? Heck, Gandalf.

[@cedwards3149]

Win.

[@sourisvoleur4854]

Terry Underwood For the win.

[@CrowT]

I am 41. Grew up watching him on PBS. When he said " I wanna tell you what I told you when you were much younger. I like you just the way you are." That broke me. He was/is so special. Great person.

[@TimWochomurka]

I'm crying right now. (36, watched the last show live)

[@rushnerd]

MST3K and Mister Rogers. Yeah that's a way of life and it was good to live it.

[@deusprogrammer_thekingofspace]

Same. And when he died I was inconsolable for a long time. It was like my childhood and my strength were gone. But then I remembered the person he wanted me to be. And when I feel weak again I have to remind myself that Mister Rogers believed in me and I can’t forsake that.

[@CrowT]

@@rushnerd Two great shows.

[@CrowT]

@@deusprogrammer_thekingofspace 100%. Great man.

[@IckyNeko]

The sickest burn I ever heard was "Mr Rogers would be disapointed in you right now."

[@gabrielcarter4822]

Yeah, I don't remember him ever being disappointed or angry at someone no matter how horrible. Captain Kangaroo went into a rage on TV but that was when Congress wanted to get rid of school lunches for kids that couldn't afford them so Captain Kangaroo was correct to chew the politicians out.

[@howcomeitsbeeping]

@@gabrielcarter4822 He sued the sh*t out of the KKK 30 years ago, I'm pretty sure he was disappointed in them 😁.

[@michaelkrull3331]

You're not being the person Mr. Rogers believed you could be.

[@Gods2ndFavoriteBassPlyr]

Wow... that's very powerful.

[@protorhinocerator142]

I never heard that one before, but now I can think of a couple people to nuke with this saying. Mr. Rogers: That wouldn't be very nice though. Me: No, you're right. I suppose I'll be nice instead. Mr. Rogers: I knew you could do it. Me: (smiles)

[@tristantoole7363]

"When I was a boy and would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.'" --Fred Rogers

[@alyssamurphy2002]

My auntie says this. Didn't know it came from him

[@barbarawallace6890]

@@alyssamurphy2002 -Im not completely sure, but I believe it was from the special show they produced to help children, and reassure them, after 9/11. He was such a special part of so many of our lives; I'm so glad that his legacy of understanding and compassion lives on in our hearts, and in the way that so many of us try to be helpers in any way that we are called to.

[@bernardsherry5642]

💜💜💜

[@Grayfox-vu9kz]

I thought he said this after mlk was killed

[@mybraineatseverything7404]

Damn, I didn't know how much I needed this today until I read it. 💗

[@yorkiemom6144]

When Congress wanted to cut funding for public television, Fred Rogers spoke on the Senate floor about the importance of their work. The result? Congress doubled the amount they were asking for. That was the magic of Mr Rogers

[@r0bw00d]

If you're thinking of the same event that I am, then the amount wasn't doubled, as their funding was at risk of being halved. Mr. Rogers testified before the Senate Subcommittee on Communications on May 1, 1969 and helped to defend the $20M that they were seeking. For those interested, I have a link below: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nHzcaJ-gh9djd6M

[@SilverFang2789]

One of the greatest televised moments that wasn't on a TV show

[@nuclearcatbaby1131]

Mr. Rogers is a devout Christian. Maybe he knows how to butter up the Evangelicals.

[@FlanylShirtman]

It might be in r0bw00d's link, but I remember the committee chair telling Mr. Rogers that he was ready to cut the funding until he heard what Mr. Rogers had to say. Nothing before impressed him enough. One little speech changed everything. I forget the network's original name, but it was along the lines of educational television. This meeting gave them the foot in the door they needed to become the PBS we know today.

[@Mephiam]

@@FlanylShirtman and that speech lasted about 4 minutes too. Amazing

[@GwenWittig]

I met Mr. Rogers as a five year old at a function for NASA employees and their families (my dad was an engineer). He was just as nice and caring in real life. He came over to where us kids were fairly not paying attention to the glad handling adults, preferring to talk to us kids. He even sat down on the ground in the VAB building and talked about the Neighborhood. Even the adults were enthralled. His soothing voice, his demeanor was utterly different than any of the other adults. I remember he told us to dream big and maybe someday we can go to the moon or beyond too. When he died I wept all day.

[@TimWochomurka]

I stayed home. It was an awful 1-2 punch.

[@saravandebunte8262]

Koko was shown Mr. Roger's Neighborhood, so when she met him, she took off his shoes - because that's one of the first things he always did on the show.

[@samanthanickson6478]

remembering mr. rogers and koko 😭😭😭😭😭

[@rickshaw5076]

holy moly, i missed that episode.

[@skinnyboyslow2223]

KoKo was a huge Mr. Rogers fan

[@gardenlover9663]

Wow.

[@nunyabizness6376]

That's incredible

[@TheUnluckyJirachi]

The insane thing about Mr. Rogers is that this is how he ACTUALLY is. None of it is an act. This is how he treated every person. He was genuinely kind and wanted to learn everything about everyone. And he remembered. There are stories about Mr. Rogers sending birthday presents to his interviewers for years after his interview.

[@DarkFoxKirin]

Fuck, I'm gonna cry... I love Mr. Rogers!

[@333demyx3]

Interviewing him was so hard, he'd rather get to know and befriend the interviewer instead of talk about himself.

[@Agent719]

After he passed a cartoonist in a free paper did a strip about being picked up by Mr. Rogers while hitchiking when he was attending art school in PGH, and how the experience was so surreal because he was so like he was on TV he felt like he'd walked onto the set.

[@kayfey9544]

This is true. Candid Camera tried to prank him and they immediately felt guilty while filming even though Mr. Rogers had a great sense of humor and thought they were funny.

[@Amaranthos2]

"I'm not gonna cry, I'm not gonna cry..." You are watching Mr. Rogers. You are going to cry.

[@cjnoffz3351]

If you don't then congratulations you are a psychopath.

[@deusifer30]

If you do not cry with Mr. Rodgers...you are not human...

[@DeepFleeceheart]

Some of the best happy-crying you'll ever do.

[@joelmcgee5727]

I'm 35 years old, and Mr. Rogers still makes me cry.

[@danamoore1788]

@@joelmcgee5727 49 and me too.

[@carterfamily4889]

It's sad that some people seem to think that you have to be indifferent or cruel to be remembered. Mr. Rogers's kindness lives on.

[@shemyaza8934]

My parents got divorced when I was 8. It tore my life apart. I was devastated. Mr. Rogers looked me right in the face and told me it wasn't my fault. He was the only person to do so. The man will always be a hero...and the best part is that he was real. His TV persona isn't just an act.

[@sarahs.9678]

Elder Futhark I’m sorry no one else told you what you needed, but thank God for Mr. Rogers.

[@danomalley2473]

I think you hit on the key to Fred Rogers' success. His wasn't the only kids show on TV. I think kids can smell bullshit a mile away. Generations of kids have grown up, and everybody STILL likes Mr. Rogers. His show is appropriate for very little kids, and even after you've outgrown his show and your tastes change, you never stopped respecting him and his message. No matter what was going on in the world or your life, he was always a genuine, nice guy. Little kids need good adult examples. Like Mr. Rogers.

[@Goldnfoxx]

@@danomalley2473 That's the thing about Mr. Rogers: he didn't condescend to kids. He treated them like people, not tiny idiots who needed to be spoken to like they had the mental capacity of a cuisinart. It's not just that kids can smell bullshit, it's that he respected them, and consequently we respected him back. God, I loved this show as a kid.

[@modeo92]

My parents divorced when I was 8 too. I didn't watch Mr. Rogers at the time so I didn't hear him tell me that it wasn't my fault. But I'm crying listening to him tell me that it wasn't my fault on this video all these decades later.

[@IMaximusDMI]

He wasn't a person to become agitated with a tough topics. He would just be open and honest and had a way of explaining things that made sense to you in times where those around you had little answers or would poorly articulate the same thing. Mr. Rogers was like an extension of our parents or a cool uncle who would teach you how the world works.

[@TheRealGnolti]

Ironically, the target age group for Mr Rogers turned out to be everybody in the long run.

[@Nacho-Mamma]

I was watching when his first episode premiered, and was watching when he said goodbye on his last episode! Mister Rogers was and STILL is my hero!

[@rapebus]

Mr. Rogers target audience was kids and we were all kids once: never forget that we were all kids and we all have to learn know. love and peace

[@JetADR]

His target audience was 0 yrs - 7 yes or so. Mr. Rogers loved everyone and anyone just where they were which is the beauty of who he was and his message which is why he could reach anyone.

[@michaelmontgomery727]

He targeted the inner child, not just the chronological child.

[@moises030190]

@@JetADR wouldnt say 0-7. More like 3 to 11. He didnt baby talk to anyone. He reached out to all ages in the end, mostly everyones inner child.

[@Ravensinkwell]

I think Mr. Rodger’s neighborhood needs to be rerun on television. I think the the US(and parts of the world) has forgotten how to be kind.

[@forevertai7976]

Daniel Tiger's neighborhood is good, but not quite the same.

[@totallycrazystudios1801]

PBS still shows it on Sunday mornings

[@tricky2055]

Amen!!!

[@Barrett-tq7pq]

To a degree

[@oddeyes9413]

Yes. I agree.

[@jardennis4nd]

Diane said, "that's an amazing resource while growing up." I couldn't agree more. As a child growing up without a father, Mr. Rogers was my surrogate father. To this day, my mother laughs at the fact that I used to sit in front of the TV and talk to Mr. Rogers like he was there with me. Thank you Mr. Rogers for teaching me that a man can be kind and compassionate without appearing weak. Thank you Diane for keeping his loving spirit alive. RIP Mr. Rogers, you did well.

[@Ephem13]

Mr. Rogers, Steve Irwin, and Bob Ross. They are the trinity of wholesomeness, three men that just wanted to leave the world a little better place than when they found it.

[@taunjiachandler6607]

Don't forget captain kangaroo. He had lots of fun and life lessons.

[@samim6809]

@@taunjiachandler6607 yes!! Along with Mr. Green Jean

[@rfmerrill]

And carl sagan

[@themaggattack]

Can't forget Jim Henson!

[@samim6809]

@@themaggattack your going to make me wheepy❣

[@galaxywolf969]

As a young boy my mom divorced and abusive father who I have not seen since I was seven. Mr. Rogers told me it wasn't my fault and I believed him. I didn't cry when my father died...he was a complete stranger to me, however, when my best friend, Mr. Roger's died I cried for days. God bless you Mr. Rogers, I wouldn't have survived without you. I'm have been a 4th grade teacher for 15 years and trust me Mr. Roger's lessons have come back many times when I help young kids with their myriad problems. You will always be my neighbor, Mr. Rogers.

[@JaredJonesAZ]

Wow the same thing happened to me. My mom divorced and abusive man that I haven't seen since I was 7. My life has gone pretty well regardless, I now help people become employable and find work. I watched Mr Rogers a lot back then, and it made the world much less scary, and I too realized it wasn't my fault. He was the father I wish I had.

[@protorhinocerator142]

Mr. Rogers had that magical ability to speak directly to your heart. And you knew what he was saying was true. I doubt we'll see another like him in our lifetimes.

[@Command37]

Now wait a minute. Who's side of that story has the most proof? Do you remember him abusing her? Did you witness it? Wouldn't she turn out to be the true monster if her side of the story was false?

[@mistylee717]

@@Command37 omg. What’s wrong with you?

[@bonnieinla]

@@mistylee717 Is it possible he might have skipped Mr. Rogers when he was younger?

[@jasonmiller3543]

Don't worry about crying, I'm a 40 year old grown man and I still cry when Mr Rogers tells me he likes me just as I am. Such a great person who is truly missed. Every generation needs someone like Mr Rogers.

[@rebelbandman]

same

[@funnyusername8635]

I miss him, too.

[@sunshinepurple1043]

I'm 55. Same. I had a rough early childhood.

[@theelexgrahameshow2023]

Watching this and reading comments like this has this 47 yr old guy crying.

[@cptklutch26]

He likes us, But Jesus LOVES us as we are remember that.

[@Plan9-3127]

I grew up watching him just like so many other Gen Xers. It's my opinion that the world lost one of the most kind, generous, and all around wonderful person the day he passed. He deserves sainthood. You're right when you say the world could use a talking to from him today... RIP Fred Rogers... You are sorely missed...

[@acufish07]

My dad would occasionally wake me upEARLY on a Sat morning. It would come on our local PBS(public) station. And would watch it with him. Then we would send me back to bed.

[@richardd.2988]

It's hard to believe, but when he invited a black man to soak his feet in the same tub of water as his feet were soaking in, it was a huge deal. He paved the way to opening up your feelings in so many ways.

[@eugenegrewing2587]

A gay black man. HUGE deal.

[@robzembower23]

As a child it never occurred that was anything but normal and then we grow up to find out that Mr. Rogers really was trying to spread love and acceptance. Thankfully, he left a legacy we can share for generations.

[@SistrWmn20]

I think that was in response to blacks not being allowed in public swimming pools. Such a cool guy.

[@valeries2037]

He did that because of this photo (and the people behind it), he wanted to show that what he did isn't right and isn't normal (or shouldn't had been) - www.huffpost.com/entry/history-segregated-swimming-pools-parks-racism_b_5d289125e4b0f0348e32fdad -- but it's still one of the most important lessons he ever taught people.

[@downychick]

I was a kid and thought nothing of it. It seemed perfectly normal at the time. I saw differences in skin color like differences in eye color. It blew my mind when I learned how mean folks could be to people whose skin wasn't the same shade.

[@submandave1125]

My wife is an immigrant, and she moved to America with me. She discovered Mr. Rogers during the day when I was at work, and he made her feel loved, accepted, and welcomed just as she was, even as an adult, just as he helped me as a child. I feel very grateful to have grown up knowing him.

[@BonnieHalfElven]

I recall his wife saying that immigrants told her they learned to speak English by watching Mr. Rogers, because he spoke so slowly and used simple words.

[@elenamorales8523]

This is a gorgeous tribute to the loving human he was.

[@christinearmington]

Then we grew up and watched Mean Girls. 😠😳

[@YourRoyalMajesty.]

My husband: You ok? What’s wrong? Me ugly crying: Mr Rogers likes me and is proud of me. Leave me alone. (Join the best group hug in the world in the comment thread! 👇 1 year in and going strong!)

[@kamcobbe]

Me right now!!

[@3kerriem]

LOVE THIS SO MUCH

[@johnkratz2476]

Same. Except I'm the husband.

[@LambentLark]

I feel stupid when I get all sappy, because I am being vulnerable and exposed. Then I find a comment where everyone is standing around a virtual box of Kleenex and I know I have found my people. Hi guys, group hug.

[@yvonnereese8640]

Me, too! I remember Mr. Rogers.

[@Machinima5000]

Not everyone loves Tom Hanks, but everyone does love Mr. Rogers.

[@user-or1ye3iz6d]

Exactly. Tom Hanks is not the gem he's portrayed to be. Quite the contrary! (I hope people do their due diligence in research on this topic. It's disturbing).

[@yeshalloween]

@@user-or1ye3iz6dI know what you’re referring to

[@CFoCMinistries]

Except for rainbow people because Mr Rogers said only boys can be daddy's and mommy's can't be daddies because a boy stays a boy

[@CFoCMinistries]

​@@user-or1ye3iz6dironically Mister Rogers would probably be pretty disturbed that Tom Hanks of all people considering the things he was accused of is the one representing Mr Rogers a man who loved and wanted to protect children.

[@PoochieCollins]

@@user-or1ye3iz6d elaborate? I just Googled over accusations related to Tom Hanks, and didn't see anything about something with strong evidence, at least at a glance.

[@tbmike23]

He was a minister, who got into television because he didn't like what he saw, and wanted to change it. His mother made most of his sweaters, one time a blind child wrote to him asking he be more descriptive, and so he was, from then on. Could write a thousand ways in which he was genuinely one of the sweetest humans.

[@Lycanthromancer1]

The little girl was worried that he wasn't feeding his fish because he didn't always describe that he was doing so.

[@scifisurfer8879]

He was an educated and ordained minister, but he never once was preachy or overtly religious. He was always respectful of everyone around him, and honestly I don't think it would occur to him not to be that way.

[@brodieroomojo]

he also saved pbs from nixon cuts by going before congress and being the amazing man he was

[@rogerhuggettjr.7675]

He was upset at the entertainment thing of pies in the face defacing people.

[@hmaz7637]

d davis That clip of him testifying is incredible! I wish we had someone like him around now.

[@SynthApprentice]

Burger King once ran an ad campaign using the likeness of Mr. Rogers, who was a life-long vegetarian. When he found out about it, Mr. Rogers called up the President of Burger King. He didn't yell. He didn't threaten legal action. He didn't ask them to stop the campaign, or even mention the campaign at all. No, that's not Fred Rogers. Instead, he had a friendly chat, father to father, about how our children see us, and how it's important that we show integrity in our values, so that our children can have someone to look up to. The campaign was canceled immediately.

[@alyssapinon9670]

What a legend

[@a.deadgirl]

❤

[@mwilbur11]

He was a good man who looked at every person as someone to talk with and befriend. He had a kind way of speaking with his viewers so they felt special. The President of Burger King was probably so touched by his kindness and non-threatening approach. Thanks for posting this.

[@glitchin1233]

From what I understand it was less about him being a vegetarian and more about how he never wanted to use his likeness to sell things to children. It's why he never marketed anything.

[@alumbo]

Gangsta!

[@GogglesVonAwesome]

I remember the day he passed away. My entire junior English class was mourning, except the one kid who grew up not watching TV. She was like "Are you guys saying this old man none of you actually knew basically raised you?" and got like 20+ simultaneous responses of "YES."

[@xkimikimjax7768]

Oh God...that day...when I woke up and saw on the news that he passed away I cried all day off and on and have continued crying...like now...I love Mr. Rodgers. Seen every show. His final show still seems like yesterday. He is the best.

[@christophermichael6844]

The day Mr Rogers passed away nearly killed me.

[@brendalg4]

I think that's one reason we have so many problems in society today. We had people like Mr. Rogers raising us. Today kids don't have anyone. I have heard similar things about many different shows that were on in that time period. But almost all kids have to watch today is garbage. They don't have a kind person teaching them right from wrong, etc.

[@epm76]

Oh gosh - I thought I was the only one. I watched him from as soon as I can remember all the way into high school. I’m 43. They day he died, I felt like I lost me best friend. I admit that I’m still crying just from seeing those few clips. I miss him.

[@skirk248]

I missed out on him as a kid but I'll be sure to pass him on to mine. He's a great example of a man

[@Londubh]

Mr. Rogers wasn't an entertainer, he was an educator, and one of the best persons ever to live on this planet. Why? Because he remembered what it was like to be a child, and understood what love truly means. Not just romantic, or physical love, but the genuine care and well wishes for other beings. One thing that is freaking amazing is that there are people carrying on Mr. Rogers' legacy, in the form of the kid's show Daniel Tiger (which is/was the name of the stuffed tiger that Mr. Rogers identified with in his "Land of Make Believe"). And they're doing a wonderful job. It has apparently been proven that kids who grow up with Daniel Tiger have better emotional regulation than those who don't.

[@Cugastratos]

Black male growing up in the 80s projects in the US where gang bangers, drug dealers, and drive by shootings occurred... BUT my mother in her wisdom, made me watch mostly educational tv especially Mr. Rogers and Seasame Street. Mr. Rogers helped inspire love, compassion, understanding in spite of the evil happening around me. HE had a BIG Beautiful heart.

[@Krisgenx]

And the Electric Company and Zoom😉😁

[@thegreymonk4993]

I read somewhere a long time ago that he drove an old station wagon to the studio. One day it was stolen. It was all over the local news that night in Philadelphia. The next day it was RETURNED WITH A WRITTEN APOLOGY. I hope that's true.

[@Me-uv6kc]

@@thegreymonk4993 I think that's made up, but it's Pittsburgh

[@thegreymonk4993]

@@Me-uv6kc Too bad. I wish that were a true story.

[@davidsirmons]

Your mother is a good woman.

[@tammyt3434]

"I wonder what the target age is for this?" Mr. Roger's last televised appearance: "You."

[@emilysmith2965]

Exactly.

[@taiinsolara5627]

Mr. Rogers wasn't a children's entertainer. He was more like a loving father teaching his kids.

[@anelisamorgan8590]

Agreed!

[@Ritabug34]

Yes!

[@kimberlyrodrigues2998]

He was America's dad, and I still cry every time I see his last appearance. He was such a loving, kind, incredible man, and we as a nation are poorer for his loss.

[@kimberlyrodrigues2998]

@@deejs8652 Fred Rogers was NEVER in the military. That urban legend was debunked years ago

[@TheKatarinaGiselle]

💯%

[@James-p3b2n]

I'm 41 years old and I teared up watching this. Mr. Rogers was the grandfather figure that many of us, including me, didn't have growing up. Both of mine had passed. He is the one who taught us that just being ourselves, and being the best individual that we can be, is perfectly OK. I wish more of us were like him, and I wish we could all strive to be more like him and see the good in everyone.

[@tracymorgan5386]

There is no shame in crying over Mr. Rogers. He is beloved in the US.

[@RoryStarr]

And in Canada. And in many neighbourhoods, neighbour.

[@sweettats602]

Rory Stevens you spelled neighbor and neighborhood incorrectly. #murica. Lol

[@solblackguy]

It's surprising he was never named a national hero.

[@mournblade1066]

@@solblackguy We need a national holiday named after him.

[@AlanCanon2222]

@@RoryStarr Canada is the best neighbor any country ever had in human history. Greetings from Kentucky. I stand on guard for thee!

[@LoreEclectic]

In later episodes he would always say "I'm feeding the fish" because a blind girl wrote in to him saying she couldn't see him feeding the fish so she was worried about them. So from then on he always said out loud that he was feeding the fish

[@gardenlover9663]

Thanks for sharing this. Love Mr. Roger's stories.

[@jameysummers1577]

Thank you Laura! Now I'm crying... Thanks......

[@MattCoversTech]

Just started to write this, glad someone else beat me to it. Fantastic story that revealed the quality of character that Fred Rogers had as a human being.

[@skinder124]

Stupid question: how did she know he had fish?

[@anib8863]

@@skinder124 He probably mentioned them at some point.

[@santaclaushawkeyenj3878]

_When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping._ Fred Rogers

[@kelliea7451]

I wonder if his mom had any idea her message would reach and inspire millions to BE that helper.

[@LadyBern]

The depressing thing is with some of the videos coming out there aren't people helping, they're standing to the side watching and recording.

[@Papa_Izzy]

Look for the helpers. Bless your soul Fred.

[@israalvarez595]

Oh man....this is great! Beautiful

[@Feonixpreator]

One of the great sources of comfort still in my days.

[@lomiawolfcaller5527]

I met him about 20 years ago at a book signing I happened to pass by - there he was. He was exactly the man you saw on TV -warm, gentle, kind to everyone he interacted with. Patient. Interested. What a gem of a man.

[@R.F.9847]

I'm an American who grew up with Mr. Rogers and let me re-assure you that crying is absolutely the appropriate response here.

[@HelloIamCloudy]

Absolutely. He offers solace when you have no one else to turn to.

[@tamoshanter6268]

Just a children's show, all ages. If you notice when he is buttoning his sweater, putting on his shoes, and feeding his fish, he says what he is doing. He received a letter from a blind child that asked to know what he was doing, especially feeding the fish, so he altered what he did. He always verbalized what he was doing so that all children, even the blind could enjoy the show. He really was a kind man in person, not just on his show.

[@partysuvius]

Tam O'Shanter i’m so glad he wasn’t forced to do things that made him uncomfortable and that he was such a genuinely kind human being. We need more people like Mr. Rogers.

[@BigHueJanus]

I heard he started doing that because in the little girls letter she was worried the fish were not being fed every day. So he started saying what he was doing: so she would know the fish were being fed each day. So that was a factor in his decision to verbalize what he was doing.

[@tamoshanter6268]

​@@BigHueJanus You could very well be right, I am very fuzzy on the details. Either way, the letter raised awareness and Mister Rogers came through, adding more elements to the show to include everyone. What a wonderful show.

[@submandave1125]

I remember an episode of Candid Camera where the trick was for the bell man at a fancy hotel to slowly reveal all the problems with the room (no TV, no hot water, actually no water at all...). Mr. Rogers was one of the guests, and with every bad thing they revealed he understanding and accommodating ("Well, I don;t watch too much TV anyway, so I'll get a chance to catch up on my reading," "I'm sure you're working on it as fast as you can, and I really appreciate that").

[@h.plovecat4307]

>:'0

[@deeyablo]

You: "I'm not going to cry." Mr. Rogers: "It's okay to feel the feelings that you feel." You: *SNIFFLE* I love Mr. Rogers.

[@shawnhensley4884]

Sniffle? I balled!!

[@divory9070]

Girl I cried, he’s so genuine. And you should look up what he did for children’s programming. I think he went to congress to talk about positive images being presented on tv for kids.

[@Pooters73]

Here is Mr Rogers requesting continued funding for PBS to a very reluctant Congress. He changed their minds in 5 minutes. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nHzcaJ-gh9djd6Msi=XyFWMgPfY3rNNG6R

[@eklektikTechno]

Yeah when he went for the funding they literally caved in and gave him 20 million I think

[@rosey13136666]

The video of him going to Congress is available on KZbin. It’s worth watching.

[@blakethornsbrough1528]

The cardigans he puts on at the beginning of every episode were knitted for him by his mother.

[@NoudlePipW]

Oh come ON!? Really?? HE IS THE SWEETEST HUMAN EVER

[@TheHighSorcerer]

@@NoudlePipW Really. 100% true.

[@NoudlePipW]

@@TheHighSorcerer That might have given me diabetes but it was worth it

[@MorrigansRaven3944]

Wow, I didn't know that!😊 💯❤ I knew he was a minister.❤ I haven't watched the movie yet, tho.

[@jackhaugh]

He got a new one every Christmas.

[@robertportersc]

The world needs Fred Rogers and Bob Ross right now.

[@johndrews206]

We need all those happy trees in the world today

[@JayyXXOO6]

Check out Joe Pera

[@ShamblesMD]

Bob Ross was so chill. The studio could be burning down and he'd still be finishing those clouds.

[@mycroft16]

@@ShamblesMD And the fire would freaking let him.

[@PhantomGenius]

Don’t you dare forget Steve Irwin

[@BritainVthatsme]

"I know he's a...children's entertainer...?" *Americans grab popcorn* Get ready for the feels, Lass!

[@edithpr1]

Proper American response. I was watching her the whole time waiting for it to hit her, how important Mr. Rogers was to American culture.

[@pathfinderGM]

Its absolutely true but mainly because it was never an act. That's who he was all the time. It helped so many kids so much and in many ways was one of the most importand social educators in all of america ever.

[@Swimdeep]

Growing up with Mr Rogers as an only child, I always felt he was talking to me directly. He was and continues to be, a gift to children who becomes adults influenced by his powerful and gentle message. ❤️

[@vanhooligan7532]

When he said, "But I would like to tell you what I told you when you were much younger. I like you just the way you are." I lost it. My grown ass cried.

[@Rutabega_NG]

If I wasn't already crying, that would've broken me. It just about did anyway.

[@RvnKnight]

Same. Fred was the best neighbor and friend that I had, and I'm sure he was for many others.

[@charlesburris6314]

I did too.

[@plantnut65]

I had already lost it, but that was so very touching. He really spoke to our hearts and still does. He has always been a hero of mine.

[@JarodMoonchild1975]

Same. And I'm scandinavian, and they never showed Mr. Rogers on the TV here, so I didn't grow up with him, either. But there was something about that man, that had the power to touch (almost) any heart. Including myself, and I had to pull myself together when he said that. But yes, I lost it for a little bit too, at that point. He was too pure, and I doubt there will ever be any person like him on earth in the future.

[@cassandrashore1305]

You don’t understand. Me Rogers was like that ALL the time. That wasn’t a character.

[@GeographRick]

Exactly, He appeared on Johnny Carson a few times, and he was the same person you saw in his show. I grew up in the 1970's and I watched him every day.

[@Blacklighting1]

Mr. Rogers was like that all the time. It was also the reason why people that did interview him had a hard time interviewing him. He would ask them about there day. He would ask them if they were having any troubles. The man was a saint. There was a time where a person on his TV crew made like a rude joke. He saw it. And laughed and asked them if it made them happy and why. Then asked them what if other kids saw this? The man was a saint. Mr. Rogers ounce wrote to life long pen pals for all of his life. And when he didn't hear from them he would write them and ask if they were ok. He went to some of these people's funerals. We do not have a Mr. Rogers in America anymore. I wish we had one.

[@randyralls9658]

Creepy

[@sophierobinson2738]

Have you read his biography? He and his son got in a knock down drag out argument that lasted for several minutes. They both stopped yelling at the same time and just looked at each other. Finally Fred said something like "I feel better now" and his son said "me, too".

[@commenter5901]

@@randyralls9658 It's sad when people think it's creepy for someone to be kind and caring all the time. Maybe you prefer someone more like Bill Nye who's fun and kid friendly on screen but is the opposite off screen. I personally prefer it when people are genuinely themselves.

[@jacobgibson9184]

Steve Irwin showed us to love animals, Bob Ross showed us how to love ourselves, but Mr. Roger's showed us how to love everyone.

[@johnshaffer3405]

A crossover special involving those three people would have been awesome :)

[@SomeReallyUniqueName]

The real holy trinity!

[@CaptainCretaceous91]

I like to think the Kratt Brothers did the same thing as Steve Irwin.

[@Rutabega_NG]

Including ourselves.

[@simontemplar3359]

Damn that was beautifully said! Cheers!

[@ZekeChanguris]

I used to live in Pittsburgh near where Mr. Rogers lived. If you saw him on the street and went up to say hi, he would make time for you. He would say, "It's always nice to meet my neighbors." His television show and kindness had a great impact on my life. I was so lucky to be able to be an extra in the Tom Hanks movie. You barely see me but I'm there next to the stage when he's with the Uptown String Quartet.

[@Fireholder1]

Mister Rogers was for everyone, any age. Notice the language he uses. He talked to his audience with nothing but the utmost respect and compassion. He didn't use 'baby talk' or gibberish. He talked to you as though you were, well, his neighbor.

[@provalone]

exactly right, he would always use appropriate words the fit the situation and then provide the clues for one to figure out the meaning without backtracking off of the topics. Every sentence was a lesson, and every lesson was important, all of it important because it was part of making a better you, which in the end, was the most important thing of all.

[@JeromeViolist]

I try to remember Mr Rogers whenever I try to explain things to my kids. I’ll probably have to explain death to my on soon, so I’m going to rewatch that episode. And probably have my son watch it, too.

[@famousdraven5443]

He has this uncanny skill of making you think he was talking to you and only you, which is why everybody has happy memories of Mister Rogers!

[@christophermichael6844]

He was personally offended by the kids shows of the time because they treated kids like imbeciles

[@bartonbagnes4605]

He didn't just talk to you like a neighbor, he talked to you like you were his best friend and he couldn't wait to tell you what he learned.

[@jairogers5876]

When I was lil', I use to tell people he was my dad. Mind you, Im black. I just loved him that much. Such a compassionate guy. ❤

[@harleybubbles4107]

I think Mr. Rogers was the de facto father to a lot of kids that didn't have one of their own. And I honestly don't think he would have minded hearing that.

[@Inconsistent-Dogwash]

Well if you’re going to pick a father figure, that’s one great choice. And I’m sure he would be proud to say you were his son

[@carlosatempa3983]

He was everyone's father.

[@TheTnote]

That's the sweetest story I've heard in a minute. 😍

[@riverrat4865]

He was everyone's dad, my guy

[@7rippster7]

Best thing about Mr Rogers... he treated kids like people and spoke to them like they mattered.

[@thehairybeast9707]

He's the reason i do the same. My mother always marvels at how children respond to me.

[@adderous]

@@thehairybeast9707 You chose a great person to emulate, then. He always made sure to keep informed on, and consult with experts in childcare, and it shows.

[@medexamtoolscom]

On camera he did, at least. When the cameras weren't rolling, not so much. My 12th grade english teacher said she lived in nantucket as a kid and Mr. Rogers lived there too at the time. And one day, she saw him, and rushed up to him, as a small child, her arms outstretched, yelling "it's Mister Rogers" and he harshly said "get out of here kid." Her mother watched this and angrily yelled back "you are a MEAN MAN!" Or maybe the English teacher was the mother. But the lesson is, don't have heroes, they never live up to your image of them.

[@joereichlin258]

@@medexamtoolscom I'm guessing that man wasn't Fred Rogers, but rather some guy who was constantly being mistaken for him! 😁

[@jamescrenshaw962]

Diane and other visitors to the US: “Americans are so nice and friendly and open. They want to know about you, and always asking how you are...” Americans: Points to Mr Rogers

[@LilChuunosuke]

Honestly, yeah, Mr. Rodgers probably helped reinforce and encourage that friendly behavior for decades.

[@kirbyculp3449]

And The Bible.

[@joeday4293]

If we are kind and polite as a nation, it is because we learned from the very best.

[@LarryHatch]

No other kid show mentioned divorce, disabilities, bullying, and racism until he did. A true pioneer. He was my first teacher other than my parents.

[@SquirrelPotatoes]

He even tried to normalize breastfeeding.

[@QAMan23]

Don't forget assassination (not the video game kind), after JFK's murder.

[@davidcoudriet6618]

Don't forget 9/11

[@bninem1397]

I didn't have a dad growing up. Watching the reruns as a child, he was my dad. He helped me

[@devinrivers5808]

QAMan23 you’re right there’s a KZbin video...it was the assassination of his brother RFK...Daniel the Tiger..asked the question, “What’s assassination?”😥..that really gets you, and Lady A..explains to him in a that a child can understand..that was in 1968

[@Bubblez1991]

Did you know Mister Rogers would narrate himself feeding the fish each episode with “I’m feeding the fish” because of a letter he received from a young blind girl who was worried the fish were hungry.

[@hmixon99]

Mr. Roger's was developed for toddlers to kindergarten. I watched him growing up. Born in 1972. He was groundbreaking in every controversial topic back then. He was also a WWII veteran who was highly decorated for bravery. He once said that after the horrors he saw during war, he wanted to help children accept everyone and everything to prevent another World War.

[@andrewkatesmith44]

What amazing insight!!! Thanks for sharing!

[@MolotovFolktales]

I'm a 44 year-old American Male with a beard that hasn't seen a blade in over eight years, with tattoos and piercings. I can cry while watching you watch him, because Mister Rogers said it was OK for me to do so. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!

[@JasonTaylor1]

49. Me too. I need, we need more of the spirit of this man.

[@evanmcabee7495]

46 here And I still love that gentle man

[@privateprivate5302]

I'm 43. ITA

[@bomblade15]

I can't watch Mister Rogers without getting emotional.

[@brianbaker3654]

42 can't agree more

[@md79melissa]

for some of us kids from broken homes, Mr Rogers was the only positive grown up we were exposed to

[@fairycat23]

Another reason why Mr. Rogers's Neighborhood is so important!!

[@ezekieltonks2808]

Yeah, he really was. He got me through a lot.

[@misszombiequeen]

Absolutely. Even if my family didn't love me or care about me, he did. He always did.

[@stephenrobb8759]

... I am nearing 60 years of age... my father died., when I was age 7. I still remember the time when visiting my aunt's home, her sons walked and an changed the channel from Mr. Roger's.. to the cartoon they liked. I was devastated. >Thankfully < My Aunt saw my reaction, And realized the impact. She changed the channel back. And sent her sons outside to play.

[@burniejarvis9298]

Yeah he really was.

[@wmnoffaith1]

When my son was a toddler, I turned the tv on and saw a broadcast announcement that Mr. Rogers had just died, and I started crying. I literally looked at the tv and said, " How could you die now just when I need you?" Many of us, especially those with troubled homes, loved him; he represented everything normal and safe.

[@tommymayfield814]

He was there for you when you needed him most and taught you how to be like him for other people.

[@wytchyprepper3370]

I sat at my computer and cried the day he died. I remember it was on Yahoo. I mean, I ugly cried...a grown woman! I miss him so much!

[@wisdomoftheearlychristians2037]

@@wytchyprepper3370 I did too, my friend, I did too. It was sort of like losing my dad, ( if that doesn't really sound terrible, because my dad was still alive), losing the dad I always dreamed my dad could be. I don't know how to word it. But I felt abandoned when I needed him. For b some of us, he represented the only normal father we had, and maybe more importantly, although I have yet to see even an interviewer or columnist mention this: for those of us either lacking father figures or having "screwed up" father figures, he was a role model for boys if what a decent man acts like and talks like, but for girls, what a decent husband should act like/ talk like. For some of us, he was the only normal male role model in our lives.

[@nunyalastname-ej8vl]

I still,shed tears missing him if I think about it. I can't see how anyone can be so kind and good.

[@edwardjames6023]

Your comment made me cry. I felt that

[@Dephire]

Mr. Rogers is... unbelievably important to me. My grandfather died before I was born. That's where Mr. Rogers filled in that role for me. Words can't explain how respected he is among the generation that watched his show. He is an American icon - and crazy enough, he lived extremely nearby me in Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh PA. Thank you, Mr. Rogers for being my neighbor.

[@lamplighter5545]

I didn't watch Mr Rogers as a child. I was 12 when Mr Rogers' Neighborhood first aired. I watched him with my kids. When he retired I sent him an email, telling him how grateful I was. He spent the time to write back. The thing with Fred Rogers is, there was nothing fake about him.

[@jaymz1251]

He wrote back to anybody that wrote him. Not trying to diminish your response, just trying to say he was that amazing.

[@lamplighter5545]

@@jaymz1251 -- I didn't think I was special. That's what moved me. It wasn't a generic response, either. I knew he must take the time to respond to everyone.

[@ramell4]

Whenever I was younger, I wrote a letter to JK Rowling. What I got back was a signed photo and what was mostly a canned response back. Hearing that Mr. Rogers took the time to personally respond to each and every letter sent to him (and I would assume there was a lot), is beyond cool.

[@dguy0386]

@@ramell4 the show ran from 1968-2001. the amount of fan mail he got in that amount of time is probably unimaginable. such an amazing man

[@solohighflyer]

I really love his phrasing of things: Not "why are you in a wheelchair", or "why are you different?", but "what happened to cause you to need this wheelchair?" Just a totally different way of approaching the question.

[@dr.burtgummerfan439]

He was very careful with his phrasing. When he did the factory segments, he didn't say "How (x) is made", he said "How people make (x)", because he wanted to emphasize the importance of the people instead of their product.

[@0hN0es203]

Fred Rogers was a saint. The world is better for his having been in it.

[@charliepap6761]

Best comment on KZbin!

[@benvaun1330]

Actually he wasnt a saint. And he worked really hard to make people understand he wasnt a saint. Because he didnt want people to think what he was doing was unattainable. Even after his death his wife his non profit and his trust have fiercely protected his image and did everything in their power to show Fred Roger's as just a good man who worked hard to show empathy to everyone and that with work you could to.

[@0hN0es203]

Ben Vaun I was speaking metaphorically

[@charliepap6761]

@@benvaun1330 literally and figuratively are two different things ya know.

[@cyntogia]

@@benvaun1330 Everyone is capable of being saintly. Reverend Rogers showed that.

[@thomashunley1460]

I grew up watching Mr. Rogers. He was a beautiful person. He would have told you it's ok to cry. It's one of the things that make us empathetic. You make me want to give you hug and say it's ok. I'm a new fan of your's. I lived in Orlando, FL. for 21 years. I don't know if they still have it but in the airport there used to be a display case with his sweater and shoes on display. I believe he was from Winter Park, FL. I'm 65 years old and when I grow up I want to be as good a man as he was.

[@purplekitti5784]

Since Mr. Rogers passed away and we can't hug him in person, I'm starting this thread so we can all send a virtual hug up to him in Heaven. *Hug for Mr. Rogers.*

[@tiaanderson2280]

Hug for mr Rogers

[@Oddity2994]

**hug for mr Rogers**

[@anndeemoon9845]

Hug for Mr. Rogers!

[@jackskellingtonsfollower3389]

Hug for Mr. Rogers.😊

[@tricky2055]

Hug from Mr. Rogers!

[@richgoff9737]

I cry, a 63 yr old Marine, I cry. It’s ok if you do as well

[@supergeeky7529]

YES!

[@someAholeComment]

As.Mr. Rogers would say, everyone has feelings. Sometimes those feelings can hurt. Crying is how we show our feelings when we're sad. We all get sad sometimes, and that's ok.

[@2Snails1Shell]

I'm a proud human emotional avalanche @ 54 (and a Squid; 6 years (Persian Gulf slap fight - '92-'96) as a helpful Yeoman (and Flying Squad member; and manned a 25MM Gun Captain and Ammo Loader [qualificant..? 🤭🤦😒😝🤡💨💥], on Mr. LPD-9 (transport dock... personal taxi for over a 1,000 U.S. Marines, Navyy Seals and Special Forces of any and all branches)...and will do so until my tear ducts' lifetime warranty expires. OO-RAH! ("Brother from another mother"). [You didn't mention your gender, so I [CHAUVANISTICALLY!!!!! 🤬] presumed you were a guy. Sorry if I'm wrong about that...or have offended anyone else. 🤗] Thank you for your service. 👏⭐❤️

[@martenselabs3212]

Thank you for your service.

[@ashleyanderson8776]

🙋‍♀️

[@brandonhall5615]

Her: I'm not gonna cry Me, a grown-ass man: (already welling up just because I saw the man's face)

[@Rutabega_NG]

The mere mention of his name is enough to remind us of who he believed we could be, and decide to be that person, if only she a little while.

[@jellicle77]

Me too.

[@moriahanderson]

I'm not a man, but yep. Every time.

[@jonh7480]

It's the same for me. That man was my childhood, almost like a second dad, so to speak.

[@rickschmidt1027]

brings back so many childhood memories

[@historianKelly]

Thanks for sharing Mr. Rogers with your followers. I'm from the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, area, and went to college literally in Mr. Rogers' neighborhood in the 1980s - he lived in Shadyside, a Pittsburgh suburb, which is where my college is. If you don't cry watching Mr. Rogers, particularly these days, there's probably something wrong with you, so don't feel bad - I cry at just the thought of him. Mr. Rogers is a saint in these parts. His wife recently passed away. Tom Hanks got to know her when he was working on that movie. She was very accomplished in her own right. Yes, we do need Mr. Rogers again now, but what we need more is for each of us to embody what Mr. Rogers stood for and tried to teach us. We each need to be the Mr. Rogers of our own neighborhood. I was born in the mid-1960s, so I did literally grow up watching Fred Rogers. He made you feel that just being alive made you special. I learned from him that there's no need to not tackle hard subjects, there's always a way to handle the hard things, you don't have to lie, or dumb things down, pass judgment on anyone, or sweep things under a rug, you can be open, honest, sympathetic, and mature, even with children. I couldn't have kids but my sister did, and there were times my niece & nephew asked me about difficult things. I guess I learned from Mr. Rogers, don't ask why they want to know or tell someone they don't need to know anything, don't over-explain, don't talk down to anyone, tell people things in terms they will understand, and tell them as much as they need to know at their age, and never make someone feel bad for asking you a question. That should not be rare. Glad you enjoyed Mr. Rogers. He's truly a treasure, even long after his passing.

[@desmondsilva3313]

Mr. Rogers started out young, and stayed on the air for decades, before his passed away at a ripe old age. He was a pastor. His target audience ranged from toddlers to 12 years old. He covered some very serious topics in a way that was suitable and right for children. His content was calming and factual. It is far more suitable for children than anything else out there today. God Bless Mr. Rogers' soul. He was a true guardian angel!

[@urthboundmisfit]

even the way they filmed his show. Long takes instead of constantly cutting scenes. It was a lot easier for kids to follow along with. It was like the anti-ADHD show.

[@desmondsilva3313]

@@urthboundmisfit Agreed. That is a good point.

[@yippeeflowers]

i pray one day he's sainted. there is truly no one who deserves it more.

[@youtubesucks3811]

@@yippeeflowershe isn’t one? Dropping the ball, Pope...

[@victorcampudoni2682]

He also held the record for the most sniper kills until it was broken during the Afghanistan war.

[@KathrynFortunato]

True story: A friend who's a trans woman met Mr. Rogers on the street as a child, and as he does with all children, had a private moment together with him where she ran up and said hi. She told him "I'm actually a girl," and he said "I believe you." So for whatever problems he had, his belief, faith, and dedication to the wellbeing and support of children was unshakeable.

[@nubreed13]

The reality was he knew if he had an openly gay man in his show the sponsors would drop him and his message of tolerance would be lost. He knew the time wasnt right just yet since it was the 1960s.

[@joelfinch2471]

If I was your friend, I'd stand on a street corner telling that story to anybody who'd listen.

[@ncc74656m]

@@nubreed13 They suggested in the movie that he was also struggling personally with the issue of gay people, but one thing was absolutely clear: He loved them no less, and he never would. The man was the best humanity had to offer.

[@samgod]

Incredible story, but I haven't heard of any major problems Fred Rogers had.

[@ncc74656m]

@@samgod Fred's story goes that he asked Francois Clemmons to keep his sexuality under wraps and attempt to be a straight man. While not wholly wrong about his potential risks to be open about his sexuality, it was not the right thing to do then or now.

[@JediPhoenix1976]

"Here's everything I know about Mister Rogers; Mister Rogers is a children's entertainer..." Ohhhh, no...no no no no nooooooo...Big Bird is a children's entertainer. Mickey Mouse is a children's entertainer. Mister Rogers is a saint that hasn't been canonized yet.

[@benjaminspinney8718]

He was a saint. He was a devout Christian that prayed for Countless people he had met only once by name. He never raised his voice in anger or mistreated anyone.

[@earthmama9597]

We could really use Mr Rodgers in this world of selfishness and entitlement.

[@earthmama9597]

@@benjaminspinney8718 Due to him being a saved by Jesus man makes him a saint, not his actions, not his religious beliefs but by his relationship with Jesus. He didnt preach his testimony, he lived it! He affected ppl across the board, I knew a hard core atheist who LOVED Mister Rodgers!

[@williamsstephens]

@@earthmama9597 - Lord, don't taint Mr Rogers with your evangelical bullshit. None of us like you, especially those of us who actually are Christians. And by the way, all decent people love Mr Rogers. Religion is beside the point.

[@67marlins81]

@@williamsstephens don't taint adult conversation with your foul mouth and 7th grade hissy fit. Bye.

[@wingsabre]

It was a treasure to have him on TV while growing up. He didn’t talk down to you, and whatever that topic was, he had a way of just soothing things to where you feel it’ll be all right. You didn’t show the race relations video but he basically asked his black friend on a hot day where he put his feet into a pool for a dip to also do the same to cool down. And they just enjoyed the time together. There was no preaching or anything of that sort. He just treated it like a Tuesday.

[@DrknssRules1]

One of my favorite stories I ever heard about Mr. Rogers was how a young blind fan of his loved listening to the show but always worried for his fish because she never knew if he was feeding them because she couldn't see him do it. Her father sent Mr. Rogers a letter about that and every single episode for the remainder of the series, he would say "I'm feeding my fish now" so she knew he was feeding them. He heard her and wanted her to feel better about his fish.

[@scramblesthedeathdealer]

No way!!! I remember him saying "I'm feeding my fish now..." a lot... 🥺 That's beautiful!

[@ShinKyuubi]

Dude was wholesome as all get out and remembered his fans and people who had been on his show forever. He apparently was very difficult to interview because he preferred to talk less about himself and more try to become friends with those who tried to interview him.

[@drewroberts9488]

@@ShinKyuubi I've watched a few interviews of Mr. Rogers. One host was trying to shock him out of character and you could see the shame on her face when she realized he wasn't acting lol

[@garrettevans9193]

@@drewroberts9488 Do you have a link to that interview?

[@angelinacarmen6777]

This is my favorite story about Mr rogers. I was looking for it in the comments to make sure it gets a like

[@lesliekendall9902]

Diane,"I'm not going to cry." Everyone else, "Yes you are"

[@gqsmooth1969]

Diane sent her Onion Ninjas after us all.

[@lisafawcett5384]

And I’m crying...

[@HemlockRidge]

I'm not crying, you're crying.

[@TheDellaniOakes]

I'm right there with you.

[@MasterMichelleFL]

[@DanMcManus]

Don't ever stop being 'you', Diane. We like you... just the way you are.

[@pielucas439]

Same goes for Editor Diane♥️

[@TruthTroubadour-xi9cc]

Yes, we truly do!

[@LauraSti]

I wasn't crying until I saw your comment. I... darn it, I lost it.

[@NviGWarren]

I always cried when Mr. Rogers ended the day. I didn't want the show to end. He was definitely a father figure to me!!

[@HvyMetal4Ever]

The world needs Mr. Roger's now more than ever. He was kind, and pure. He broke barriers in the 70s. He was the epitome of a wonderful human being. You ALWAYS felt loved. "I like you exactly as you are". So many children needed to hear that message. Especially when it was a message from the heart. I know I needed it. Lots of love and good thoughts to the emerald isle.

[@rookmaster7502]

Yes, the world desperately needs someone like Mr. Rogers again - to show people what true love, selflessness and tolerance is. Although I fear in today's toxic climate of hate and distrust, the press, politicians and social media would stop at nothing to drag him through the mud and ultimately destroy him.

[@mandalicious]

He really did some amazing and controversial things in his time as Mr. Rogers. Always willing to stand up for what he believed was right and what was right for children growing up ❤

[@kagomeshuko]

We really do! This pandemic has brought out the worst in people and we need Mr. Rogers. I wish we had him.

[@lynn2574]

Whenever I feel overwhelmed by the negative, I remember his quote to look for the helpers.

[@HvyMetal4Ever]

@@lynn2574 my neighborhood recently did a project where we wrote things on the sidewalk in front of our homes. And that was one of the things I wrote with my children. Always a favourite

[@karvald]

He comes in dressed in the suit and trenchcoat for the sweetest reason ever. He wanted it to seem like he was an adult coming home from a busy day at work, who then spends quality time with you. But he always emphasized being "neighbors" because he didn't want to replace the child's parents. He knew that would be messed up.

[@coreys2686]

Mister Rogers comes from a time when you talked *to* children instead of talking *down* to children.

[@larajones1424]

Corey S I think he actually invented that.

[@NoahKPeters]

My issue is, adults think children cant handle reality. They lie about it, hide it, and try to bend it. But you cant hide reality. One day it will come crashing down on, as it does for everyone, and adults lying makes that child inept to handle it. You have to talk to children, and explain things. They dont understand things, not because of some concept of innocence, but because they are a fresh canvas. They have no way to measure the world. So lying to them gives them the wrong tools. You shouldnt talk down to children, you should talk to them like they will become the future. Cause they will.

[@lotusfae]

Honestly, I feel like it's something that transcends generations and just has to be chosen. In my family, it was the older generations that did the talking down.

[@loomick]

No, he came from a time when you talked down to children. Thats what made his show so special.

[@coreys2686]

@@loomick Most shows nowadays still talk down to children. Many people still talk down to children.

[@shealand]

a blind child once wrote to the show worrying if he was actually feeding the fish... after that letter, he would literally say out loud "im feeding the fish now" just so that child would know and not have to worry.

[@NameGoesHere341]

He's not a national treasure, he's a world treasure.

[@tempestshadowheart2073]

No His a universal treasure

[@maverick8520]

@@tempestshadowheart2073 martians would definitely agree.

[@angelaricks5379]

He's mine! Mine, mine, mine! Ok, we can share. I am so mature, thank you Mr Rogers. Even though he started in the US, he should be shared throughout the world and I'm glad people still love him.

[@bobbonj1171]

He should be canonized!

[@charlesfitzsimmons6489]

I loved watching him as a child it was so calming

[@PhirePhlame]

Even on 4chan, the quintessential cesspool of the internet, insulting Mr. Rogers is absolutely verboten. That says a lot, I think.

[@lilalienangel]

There is nothing to slam. He was as perfect as human as could be. No evidence; no shit talk.

[@ozone00]

Allegedly, Mr. Rogers's car was once stolen and after it made the news, the thief returned it with an apology letter.

[@jeepmanxj]

They used to lay down IP banhammers for it.

[@LegionKilo]

He was as close to a portrayed living saint as anyone could ever do. Jesus couldn't hold a candle to the man.

[@lilalienangel]

@@LegionKilo Mr. Rogers would be sad to hear you say that. In fact without Jesus there would be no Mr. Rogers.

[@fasiapulekaufusi6632]

It was hard to interview the man. He always tried to get off subject and befriend the interviewer. Sometimes he'd call the interviewer months later to check up on them and say hello. This man was a real pure hearted angel in human form.

[@angelamitchinson8439]

A true mensch ❤

[@l.hutton4224]

Don’t be embarrassed that you cried! Mr. Rogers would be proud of you for expressing your feelings! Also, we’re all crying too

[@evandavis5223]

Fred Rogers read and responded to every single piece of fanmail sent to him.

[@grotwurksmekshop6607]

He was the hero we all deserved

[@matthewgartner5339]

His car was stolen and then returned with an apology note

[@alexi2019]

@@notjafo777 Actually look something up before attacking someone like that. You aren't being the kind of neighbor that Mr Rogers wanted you to be. "Responding to fan mail was part of Rogers’s very regimented daily routine, which began at 5 a.m. with a prayer and included time for studying, writing, making phone calls, swimming, weighing himself, and responding to every fan who had taken the time to reach out to him." He responded to roughly 50 to 100 letters every day. Some were with a customary thanks for writing if it was just a thank you letter, but he responded personally to every letter depending on what was written. Just because you feel like you couldn't respond to that many letters a day does not mean it was impossible for Rogers.

[@PhirePhlame]

By hand, to boot! Not one canned response ever! In fact, a news agency (I forgot which one) found out about this and, typical headline-chasing move, attempted to seek out anyone who hadn't received a response in order to run a headline disproving it. _They couldn't find a single person who'd been skipped, no matter how many people they asked!_