The thoughtful, intelligent, caring man millions of women dreamed of having as their husband is dead tonight.
Randy Pausch, the Carnegie Mellon computer-sciences professor, who inspired the world with his September 2007 lecture, entitled “Achieving Your Childhood Dreams,” lost his fight against terminal pancreatic cancer early this morning at his Virginia home.
According to reports, the 47-year-old husband and father of three young children passed away in bed surrounded by his immediate family.
I first learned about Pausch on a rainy Friday night in 2007 during a Person of the Week segment on “ABC News With Charles Gibson.” The story showed excerpts of Pausch’s “last lecture” and like millions of others I was inspired to visit the YouTube link, which showcased the popular lecture in its entirety.
In “Achieving Your Childhood Dreams,” a cancer stricken Pausch was remarkably upbeat and touched on everything from leadership and dating to his love of “Star Trek” and the importance of keeping your word.
Pausch’s “last lecture” was given as part of a series in which speakers imagine they’re giving their final lecture before dying, but the dedicated family man, later revealed that the now-famous speech was never meant for public consumption, nor was it for his colleagues or students. It was for his two sons and daughter: Dylan, 6, Logan, 3, and Chloe, 2.
Pausch’s lecture was later turned into a best-selling book and has since been translated into 30 languages. Nearly 3 million copies are in print and the professor’s name is known the world over. Shortly after the book hit shelves Pausch captured the hearts of even more fans during his appearances on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” “Good Morning America,” and “Primetime.” The self-professed “Trekkie” even scored a speaking cameo in the upcoming “Star Trek” movie.
Today Pausch’s wife, Jai, released a statement, which thanked the millions of people who have offered their love, prayers and support.
“Randy was so happy and proud that the lecture and book inspired parents to revisit their priorities, particularly their relationships with their children.”
In addition to being an Internet phenomenon and a popular author, Pausch became an inspiration to President George W. Bush, who recently honored him in a letter, citing his service to his country.
“Your love of family, dedication in the classroom, and passion for teaching will stand as a lasting legacy, and I am grateful for your willingness to serve,” Bush wrote.
And despite making Time magazine’s most recent list of the 100 most influential people in the world, Pausch told reporters shortly before his death that all he ever wanted out of life was to be a loving husband and father.
Mission accomplished.