Neil Armstrong – The First Man to Walk on The Moon is Dead

Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, has died from complications due to heart surgery he underwent recently. The great, the good and virtually everyone else have been paying tribute to the man who uttered the famous phrase one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind as he became the first to step on to the surface of the moon. Our own small tribute comes in the shape of these photographs, taken at Armstrong’s much loved alma mater, Purdue University in Indiana where his journey to the moon truly started. There, flowers have been left around the sculpture which sits outside the Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering.

Image Credit Flickr User Brokenmouse

There has been a bronze statue of Neil Armstrong there for a number of years and one which reflected the unassuming nature of the man. Armstrong was only the second in his family to go to college and as such was an example to young people that they can achieve their goals whatever their background. Certainly, the young man pictured below, perhaps at the start of his own incredible journey, who stood silently in front of the sculpture for twenty minutes, would agree that he was a man whose life and achievements will not be forgotten.

Image Credit Flickr User martinliao

Part of the statement released from Armstrong's family reads:  [he was a] reluctant American hero [and had] served his nation proudly, as a navy fighter pilot, test pilot, and astronaut. While we mourn the loss of a very good man, we also celebrate his remarkable life and hope that it serves as an example to young people around the world to work hard to make their dreams come true, to be willing to explore and push the limits, and to selflessly serve a cause greater than themselves.

First Image Credit Flickr User Broken Mouse