President Obama released a statement in remembrance of famed Star Trek actor Leonard Nimoy Friday, wherein he praised the actor for his contributions to art and science, as well as his inclusive vision of “humanity’s future.”
“I loved Spock,” Obama said.
The President also described a 2007 encounter with the former fictional space traveler, and revealed himself to be a Trek fan by greeting Nimoy with the one-handed Vulcan salute.
“It was only logical to greet him with the Vulcan salute, the universal sign for ‘Live long and prosper.’”
President Obama’s full statement reads:
Long before being nerdy was cool, there was Leonard Nimoy. Leonard was a lifelong lover of the arts and humanities, a supporter of the sciences, generous with his talent and his time. And of course, Leonard was Spock. Cool, logical, big-eared and level-headed, the center of Star Trek’s optimistic, inclusive vision of humanity’s future.
I loved Spock.
In 2007, I had the chance to meet Leonard in person. It was only logical to greet him with the Vulcan salute, the universal sign for “Live long and prosper.” And after 83 years on this planet – and on his visits to many others – it’s clear Leonard Nimoy did just that. Michelle and I join his family, friends, and countless fans who miss him so dearly today.
Nimoy passed away at his Los Angeles, California, home Friday, February 27, after a battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). He was 83.
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