PBRTV - Eric's Musings

Pittsburgh Radio & Television

A Tribute to Mister Rogers

The following was written by PBRTV creator, owner, editor and webmaster Eric O'Brien for the "Eric's Musings" column the morning that Fred Rogers passed away. He was everyone's favorite "Television Neighbor" on his PBS program Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. Mister Rogers was Pittsburgh's favorite neighbor!

February 27, 2003

Thank you Mr. Rogers

When I found out that Mr. Rogers had been ill, my heart sank. Although I only met him once or twice, I considered him to be my friend because of the many hours we spent together through the magic of television. Countless numbers of children were and still are touched each weekday by Mr. Rogers and his willingness to go to great lengths to show you that it's OK to be afraid, it's fine to get angry, some things aren't as bad as they seem, etc. Many of the children I refer to are now adults...your editor included.

I can still relate to a lot of the puppets in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe. Many people were convinced that King Friday the XIII was patterned after my Grampaw O'Brien. They both had the propensity to use superfluous words that had fifteen syllables when a couple of much shorter words would do. I can directly to relate to Daniel Striped Tiger who is shy and quiet and usually needs reassurance on some issue. I once heard it said that a grown woman walked up to Mr. Rogers and said that she wished she could talk to Daniel. He asked her to close her eyes (as the puppet was not present) and he brought Daniel's voice to life. The lady had tears rolling down her cheeks as she used a mental picture to talk to Daniel...what a powerful story.

I met Mr. Rogers when I was acolyting at a funeral at church in 1994. A high school junior, I can remember feeling like I was back in first grade when the front door opened and in he walked. Maybe it was more so of the fact that I couldn't believe my eyes that Mr. Rogers was inside my church and that the lady for whom the service was held never told me that she knew him. I remember doing my very best at the altar that day even though somehow I knew that Mr. Rogers wouldn't have gotten upset by a mistake I could have made. After the service, I removed my alb and moved as quickly as possible to the narthex. There he was, in the flesh, in the same room that I was in. I smiled and he looked at me and said, "You look different without your vestments on!"

"Yes, that's true," I replied, "I'm Eric O'Brien, I belong to this church."

"Eric, nice to meet you, I'm Fred Rogers," he responded as though I had never seen him before. He proceeded to introduce me to the people who were with him.

We must have talked for about a half-hour after that as he was very interested in what I was doing. In that time, we realized that we knew 3 or 4 people in common and had a few like-interests. He thanked me for introducing myself and we shook hands. I had just spent 30-45 minutes of time with a man most people only wish they could meet. I couldn't believe it.

The following Monday at school, I had to test the waters and I began to tell a few people whom I had met over the weekend. People looked at me with stunned faces, "YOU MET MR. ROGERS?! That is SO COOL!" I was convinced that regardless of how "lame" his show might be to some older children/young adults, that meeting this man was probably more cool than anything.

Every now and then I will be flipping through the channels and come across Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood on WQED. I put aside most everything else and sit and watch intently. I get as much, if not more, out of it now as I did as a child. When I walk past X the Owl's tree or King Friday's Castle when I am at WQED, I think about the hundreds of programs these structures have been a part of. The structures and the programs are a piece of Pittsburgh and Americana. They are timeless and will hopefully be enjoyed for many years to come.

Thank you Mr. Rogers for your selfless love. Thank you for teaching us so much about life and love and laughter and tears. Thank you for your talents, your programs, your sharing and your creativity. Thank you for your music and your puppets. Thank you for helping me to realize that I am the only person exactly like me and you are the only person exactly like you. Thank you God for Mr. Rogers.

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