Bon Voyage, Uncle Walt

Walter Cronkite always wanted to ride in space. He loved the space program, and my fondest memories of him was his reporting on it. He often talked of his desire to go into space. Unfortunately, by the time space tourism started, he was too old or not in the necessary physical shape.

Now that he has passed, "Uncle Walt," as many called him, has taken his "spacewalk." Undoubtedly, if far surpassed any ride N.A.S.A. could have given him.

Walter Cronkite was a true icon of the Twentieth Century. He shaped broadcast news. Like many Americans, I grew up watching CBS Evening News and still do. He was a good role model for me as a teenager. I used his example -- to get the story, get it right and tell it straight -- in the research I did for different classes. He will be missed.