By The Elm - Mar 06,2015@1:02 pm
By Emma Buchman
We watch our parents over the years as they glue their eyes to the TV for the latest update on a celebrity death. We watch and sympathize without understanding their pain, and how could we? We never knew the actor or musician that they mourn and therefore cannot give genuine sympathy. As we get older, we realize that we will someday feel the same way when we turn on the news and learn that a celebrity that has been with us for so long has passed away.
That is how I felt when I found out that actor Leonard Nimoy died on the morning of Friday, Feb. 27. He was 83-years-old and had suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) for many years.
"I think it's my adventure, my trip, my journey, and I guess my attitude is let the chips fall where they may." -Leonard Nimoy
While he led an illustrious career, he is most well-known for portraying the character Mr. Spock on the original "Star Trek" series. He was loved by viewers and celebrities alike, but I wish to be selfish for a moment and discuss how I feel about his death. My life revolves around the fact that I am a huge nerd. I love "Doctor Who," "Sherlock," "Monty Python," etc. I am eccentric and loud about it. I wouldn't be who I am today if I had never known "Star Trek," nor if I had never known Mr. Spock. Nimoy not only brought Spock to life but contributed a lot to the development of his character. Spock taught me the importance of logic and intelligence but also about the capacity to love. Watching Spock and all of the other characters on "Star Trek" set me on a path that would build memories for years to come, and changed my life in ways that I cannot even fathom.
This may be a feeling that many students here will not understand because Nimoy was not as well-known by our generation. But to the Trekkies (or Trekkers) here at Washington College, both young and old, Nimoy will be a presence sorely missed. His death marks the beginning to the end of an era. My heart goes out to his friends in the original "Star Trek" cast and in the cast of the new films. The world lost a great actor and they lost a great friend.
I'm so deeply sad that you're gone, Leonard Nimoy. Thank you for starting my path to nerdom, and thank you for giving me and so many others a philosophy to live by that goes beyond the TV screen.