HOUSTON - If ever there was someone with the right stuff, then the late John Glenn was that someone.
That's why NASA astronauts like Chris Cassidy still look to the stars, inspired by a man who blazed a trail skyward more than five decades ago.
"He's a great example for all of us to emulate,” said Cassidy. “And I think each and every one of us strives to be like our heroes."
This is especially true for men like Glenn, who in 1962, became the first American to orbit the Earth. He would go on to serve in the U.S. Senate.
He made history again in October of 1998 by becoming the oldest man to fly in space.
He touched many lives and made friends along the way. NASA Associate Administrator Bob Jacobs knew Glenn for more than 15 years.
"He never had a disparaging word about anyone,” said Jacobs. “He was always kind, always generous and he was polite to everyone who would come up to meet him."
And that includes Cassidy, who shook Glenn’s hand once. "And I walked away with the same impression. And that is wow, what a truly humble great American."