Leonard Nimoy’s death is a terrible loss in the hearts of many. His kind heart and distinctive voice moved many who watched him as both an actor and as a person. Easily recognized as Spock, the half-human, half-Vulcan with a heart of gold and a love for logic in the classic Sci-Fi TV series, “Star Trek,” Nimoy inspired countless individuals to seek a wide variety of careers and lifestyles.

With a cast of diverse characters, the original television series continues to be a household reference to all generations, from our parents’ generation and earlier to the newest “Star Trek” fans throughout the world. NASA Administrator Charles Bolden even acknowledged Nimoy’s death in a press release, stating that Nimoy’s performance of the character was much more than iconic, and Nimoy himself was much more than the Spock character.

“Leonard Nimoy was an inspiration to multiple generations of engineers, scientists, astronauts and other space explorers,” Bolden said. “As Mr. Spock, he made science and technology important to the story, while never failing to show, by example, that it is the people around us who matter most.”

Many who are pursuing a degree in science or engineering may have inspired Mr. Spock and the crew of the USS Enterprise. Watching the adventures and amazing technologies of the show pushed many to create science fact out of science fiction. But “Star Trek” transcends far beyond science and technology majors. As an actor, many in theatre might have been captivated to see Nimoy’s remarkable performance as an alien who can’t express emotion but still evoke the feelings of the audience. Many in English planning to write science fiction stories might have been moved by Mr. Spock to write more complicated characters.

In his later, years, Nimoy was very open to making appearances in TV shows and commercials paying homage to his character and working with J.J. Abrams in the latest “Star Trek” films where he played Spock (from the future!) nearly half a century after dawning the pointed ears in 1966. The iconic character inspired many to attend conventions and meet the cast in person.

Nimoy will always be remembered as Mr. Spock, as countless actors are remembered more for their characters than their actual names. But he will also be remembered as Leonard Nimoy, who performed Mr. Spock better than anyone else could hope to try.

Nimoy was an accomplished actor and celebrity, and his love of pop culture and kindness to his fans inspired countless fans to pursue their goals and dreams in whatever field they chose. In everything he’s done, his inspiring personality and effort is probably the greatest thing we received from him. We were happy to have him among us, and if we can follow by example, we will live long and prosper.