WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — John Glenn, who died Thursday at age 95, was the last survivor among the group of astronauts known as the “Mercury 7,” who led the pioneering first American space program in 1959.
The legendary astronaut and veteran of two wars went on to become a symbol of the space age, as well as serving two decades as a US senator. Here are some of his most memorable quotes:
– “Zero G and I feel fine.” (February 20, 1962, as he became the first American to orbit Earth)
– “It was quite a day. I’m not sure what you can say about a day in which you see four beautiful sunsets in one day, but it’s pretty interesting.” (Describing his 1962 flight after splashing back into the ocean near Grand Turk Island)
– “If there is one thing I’ve learned in my years on this planet, it’s that the happiest and most fulfilled people I’ve known are those who devoted themselves to something bigger and more profound than merely their own self-interest.” (October 3, 1997, speaking at Ohio State University)
– “Don’t tune out, cop out or drop out. Don’t give in to complacency and cynicism. Don’t ignore what is bad, but concentrate on building what is good. Don’t take America and the values reflected in our form of government for granted. And never forget that in our democracy, the government is not ‘them’ — it is ‘us.'” (Announcing his US Senate retirement in 1997)
– “I’m not interested in my legacy. I made up a word: ‘live-acy.’ I’m more interested in living.” (In a 2012 interview published in People Magazine, when asked how he would like to be remembered.)
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