All a-Buzz: Former moonwalker Aldrin, 93, ties knot with 'longtime love'
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Former Astronaut Buzz Aldrin — one of the first humans to set foot on the moon as part of the trailblazing Apollo 11 mission in 1969 — took to social media Friday to announce that he married his longtime companion on his 93rd birthday.
The post, made on Twitter and Facebook, generated thousands of well-wishes from people across the globe for one of the world’s most recognizable figures in space exploration. Aldrin, who in recent years had made south Brevard County his home, disclosed the union with a Twitter post to his 1.4 million followers late Friday.
“On my 93rd birthday, and the day I will also be honored by Living Legends of Aviation, I am pleased to announce that my longtime love and partner, Dr. Anca V Faur, and I have tied the knot,” Aldrin said in the post, accompanied by two photos of the newlywed couple.
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Many of the messages were filled with good will for the couple.
“All the best,” said Dr. Robert Taylor, dean of the college of psychology and liberal arts at the Florida Institute of Technology, where Aldrin has maintained close ties over the years.
It was not disclosed where the couple would spend their honeymoon. “We were joined in holy matrimony in a small private ceremony in Los Angeles, and are as excited as eloping teenagers,” Aldrin said in Friday's post.
On Saturday, Aldrin thanked those who sent in messages. "Thank you for all of the Happy Birthday wishes and heartfelt goodwill! It means a lot and I hope to continue serving a greater cause for many more revolutions around the sun!! Onward and upward and best wishes to all of you as well," the former astronaut said.
The pair have been seen together publicly for several years, attending social events, traveling the world and turning up at events promoting Aldrin’s long-time advocacy to send humans on a mission to Mars.
It is the fourth marriage for Aldrin. Faur, 63, is listed as the executive vice president of Buzz Aldrin Ventures and has a doctorate in chemical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh, according to her LinkedIn page.
Apollo 11 launched from Cape Canaveral — then Cape Kennedy — on July 16, 1969, as hundreds of thousands gathered along the Space Coast to watch the historic mission unfold. Aldrin became the second person to walk on the moon’s surface after Neil Armstrong. He is the sole survivor of the three-astronaut crew and a remains a vocal advocate for space exploration.
J.D. Gallop is a criminal justice/breaking news reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Gallop at 321-917-4641 or jgallop@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @JDGallop.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Former astronaut Buzz Aldrin announces new marriage on 93rd birthday
