Neil Armstrong, First Man to Walk on the Moon, Has Died
Neil Armstrong, one of the astronauts on Apollo 11 and the first man to ever step foot on the moon, has died at the age of 82, according to NBC News.
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Armstrong had heart surgery about three weeks ago. Things were fine at first. Carol Armstrong, his wife, told NBC News he was "doing great" a few days after the surgery. But MSNBC reports today that his death was caused by a complication that arose from the surgery.
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If you're near a television, MSNBC and Fox News are doing special live reports. We'll update this post as we learn more.
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Update: Armstrong was the commander of Apollo 11, and the first man to walk on the moon. "That's one small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind," he said while stepping foot on the moon. He spent three hours exploring the surface of the moon with fellow astronaut Buzz Aldrin.
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The New York Times' is passing around the article on the moon landing that appeared on July 21, 1969. The headline, "MEN WALK ON MOON," is one of the most famous front pages in history. The Onion even did an adoring retro front page mock-up of what they would have gone with. It's funny, but beware the bad language.
"Next time you walk outside on clear night & see moon smiling down at you, think of Neil & give him a wink," the Armstrong family said in a statement.
This is video from the original broadcast of the moon landing:
Here's to you, Neil. Enjoy your adventures in the next great beyond.
