Mr. Rogers

It's been a long time since I wrote about Mr. Rogers, but I saw a video today that brought back nice memories of him.

PBS commissioned the video -- one of several that they have planned -- as a tribute to Mr. Rogers, highlighting his message to kids.

(And, by sheer coincidence, I very recently heard a song by the alt rock dance band Pencilgrass that  included a Mr. Rogers reference in the middle.)

As I wrote so long ago, I don't really have great memories of Mr. Rogers when he was on TV.  My brother and sister were the ones who watched him. But I remember seeing several of his albums in the stack on the shelf under the stereo, including this one, with a built-in mirror so you can see your special self:



So I wasn't a fan until much later in life, when I heard a story that helped me shed my cynical attitude toward him.

It was on a radio show, and Mr. Rogers was readings letters from fans, which he collected into a book. One letter broke my heart. It was from the mother of a young girl with cancer. As part of her treatment, she had to have scans, which she absolutely hated. She had to stay very, very still for 2 full minutes, or the scan would be ruined. [I've been there.] Like all scanning machines, this one had a communication system, so the tech could talk to the girl, who could talk to the tech. To help keep her daughter still, the girl's mom would go into the booth with the tech, get on the mic, and sing the Mr. Rogers' theme song with the girl. The song took exactly 2 minutes, enough to distract the girl and keep her still.

I was an adult when I heard that, and it made me completely re-evaluate my feelings toward Mr. Rogers. And now, as a father (of children who were very fond of him) and a cancer patient, it makes me love him even more.