Fred M. Rogers

“It’s a beautiful day in my neighborhood!” Mr. Rogers was sure to make every little child’s day beautiful. Everyday he would enter his TV house, take off his jacket, slip on his slippers, and put on a sweater. After that he would welcome his visitors with a soft, soothing voice. Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood is where he would host his show and “lived." But besides his TV neighborhood, he lived in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He died there in 2003.

Mr. Rogers was a hardworking man. He used his talent to entertain children all around America. During the Persian Gulf War, Rogers taught parents how to speak to their children about conflicts of war. “Children can’t be blamed for wars; the thing we adults can do is let our kids know that we’ll protect and nourish them no matter what.” There have been rumors about Rogers, saying that he took part in some wars. Although that would be nice, he only told children how to handle wars. Still, that is a huge help to children and their parents.

Fred Rogers appeared in many shows in his career. At one point in time, Mr. Rogers signed a deal with NBC getting on shows such as Your Hit Parade and The Kate Smith Hour. With all these shows, he became known around America. Because of this, he relocated to WQED, which got started in his hometown, Pittsburgh. He started writing and publishing the Children’s Corner. He had been on the show as a puppeteer, but he never showed his face.

In 1963, Rogers was persuaded to go to Toronto, Canada, to make his own show. The producers insisted on him being the on-camera host. Therefore, they called the show Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. He was the one who wrote all the songs, and with all his experience, he also did most of the puppetry. The show was a hit and public television stations around the nation caught on in 1968.

Mr. Rogers once said, “I believe that producers and surveyors of TV, video games, newspapers, or any type of media, I believe that we are the servants of this nation.” Servants of nations get awarded for doing good deeds. In this case, Mr. Rogers was a servant of this nation, and received four Emmy Awards for the show, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. He was also awarded with the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush. A cardigan sweater hangs in the Smithsonian. It is the sweater Rogers wore on his hit TV show.

Mr. Rogers wasn’t just an entertainer. He was a role model to children around the United States. Fred McFeely Rogers is special to me because he taught me how to deal with life, and how to grow up the proper way. He was an inspiration to all. “We all long to be loveable and capable of loving. And whatever we can do through the Neighborhood or anything else to reflect that and to encourage people to be in touch with that, then I think that’s our ministry.” May we all remember him as he was - truly a hero.