NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, NBAA President Ed Bolen Also Remember The American Icon

The family of Gene Cernan released a statement to the media saying that the former astronaut passed away "due to ongoing health issues."

"Even at the age of 82, Gene was passionate about sharing his desire to see the continued human exploration of space and encouraged our nation's leaders and young people to not let him remain the last man to walk on the Moon," the family said in the statement.

Humbled by his life experiences, particularly as an Apollo Astronaut, the retired Naval officer recently said, "I was just a young kid in America growing up with a dream. Today what's most important to me is my desire to inspire the passion in the hearts and minds of future generations of young men and women to see their own impossible dreams become a reality."

Cernan is survived by his wife, Jan Nanna Cernan, his daughter and son-in-law, Tracy Cernan Woolie and Marion Woolie, step-daughters Kelly Nanna Taff and husband, Michael, and Danielle Nanna Ellis and nine grandchildren.

As we say goodbye, it seems fitting to share the last line in Gene's book, THE LAST MAN ON THE MOON, as he explains his experience of walking on the Moon to his then five-year-old granddaughter, "Your Popie went to Heaven. He really did."

Gene Cernan, Apollo astronaut and the last man to walk on the moon, has passed from our sphere, and we mourn his loss. Leaving the moon in 1972, Cernan said, 'As I take these last steps from the surface for some time into the future to come, I'd just like to record that America's challenge of today has forged man's destiny of tomorrow.' Truly, America has lost a patriot and pioneer who helped shape our country's bold ambitions to do things that humankind had never before achieved.

"Gene first served his country as a Naval Aviator before taking the pilot's seat on the Gemini 9 mission, where he became the second American to walk in space and helped demonstrate rendezvous techniques that would be important later," said NASA administrator Charles Bolden. "As a crew member of both the Apollo 10 and 17 missions, he was one of two men to have flown twice to the moon. He commanded Apollo 17 and set records that still stand for longest manned lunar landing flight, longest lunar surface extravehicular activities, largest lunar sample return, and longest time in lunar orbit.

"Gene's footprints remain on the moon, and his achievements are imprinted in our hearts and memories. His drive to explore and do great things for his country is summed up in his own words:

'We truly are in an age of challenge. With that challenge comes opportunity. The sky is no longer the limit. The word impossible no longer belongs in our vocabulary. We have proved that we can do whatever we have the resolve to do. The limit to our reach is our own complacency.'

"In my last conversation with him, he spoke of his lingering desire to inspire the youth of our nation to undertake the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) studies, and to dare to dream and explore. He was one of a kind and all of us in the NASA Family will miss him greatly."

“Gene Cernan is an American legend whose life will long be a source of inspiration,” noted NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen. “He was a champion of the global aviation community, and a hero to the next generation of aerospace pioneers. He left his footprints on the moon, and an indelible mark on our hearts.” 

In 2013, NBAA honored Cernan with its Meritorious Service to Aviation Award, the business aviation industry’s most distinguished honor, in recognition of Cernan's extensive contributions to furthering achievements in aviation and aerospace.

(Source: news releases)

FMI: www.nasa.gov/cernan