Friday marked the untimely passing of Randy Pausch, the Carnegie Mellon professor that awed and inspired us all. Last week’s blog post called out his incredible “Last Lecture” and the amazing things he did with his unintentional celebrity. Below are words of encouragement and hope from Stephen Beck, creator of the online fundraising page created as an inspirational tribute site for Randy. Our thoughts are with his friends and family at this difficult time.
Dear Friends – As most of you now know, Randy passed away this morning. Our deepest and most heartfelt condolences go to Jai and his family at this terrible time. The brilliant flame may have been snuffed out far too early, but it burned exceptionally brightly. The world may have lost the person, but we are better for his having been here, and Randy’s spirit will continue to shine as we honor his bravery and inspiration. The Carnegie Mellon University web site has an obituary (http://www.cmu.edu/homepage/beyond/2008/summer/an-enduring-legacy.shtml) in which the family’s wish is reiterated for contributions to be made to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network which you may do from this page. Since you are reading this, we thank you most humbly for honoring Randy’s legacy. Your kind wishes and contributions to date truly touched and overwhelmed Randy and only reinforced his positive outlook. Please keep them coming, as they will certainly do the same for Jai and the family.
I’ve never felt so close to someone I never met. In a time when we sorely need positive role models and ispiration to lead by example, Randy may truly have been a prophet for our time.
God bless and keep his family safe. We have not lost Randy, more he has been given to us as gift whose presence will be felt long after his physical being has served it’s purpose.
May we all choose to use the lessons well.
When I think of Randy my favorite quote comes to mind.
“What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments,
but what is woven into the lives of others.”>Pericles