President Obama Friday mourned the passing of Leonard Nimoy, the beloved Mr. Spock of “Star Trek” fame.
“Long before being nerdy was cool, there was Leonard Nimoy,” Obama said. “And of course, Leonard was Spock. Cool, logical, big-eared and level-headed, the center of Star Trek’s optimistic, inclusive vision of humanity’s future.”
Obama said simply, “I loved Spock.”
Nimoy’s wife said Friday that the actor died of end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He was 83.
The president said he saved a special greeting for Nimoy when he met the actor in 2007.
“It was only logical to greet him with the Vulcan salute, the universal sign for ‘Live long and prosper,'” Obama explained. “And after 83 years on this planet – and on his visits to many others – it’s clear Leonard Nimoy did just that. Michelle and I join his family, friends, and countless fans who miss him so dearly today.”
