Remembrance held for astronaut John Glenn Friday

First American to orbit Earth dies at age 95

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – John Glenn was a hero to not just millions of the American public but to the astronauts who idolized him, too.

Two of those astronauts spoke about Glenn on Friday during a brief memorial ceremony held at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, or KSC.

"There will never be an another John Glenn," KSC director and astronaut Bob Cabana told News 6. "He is going to be greatly, greatly missed."

Astronaut Jon McBride also spoke Friday about his relationship with Glenn.

McBride agreed with Cabana, saying Glenn was one-of-a-kind.

"Thank you for coming out to honor what I like to call, 'a prince of our universe,'" McBride said to dozens of visitors listening outside the Heroes and Legends building at the visitor complex.

Glenn was immortalized at KSC with the debut of Heroes and Legends in November.

Friday, the memorial ceremony marked a final end of the opening chapter of American spaceflight.

"John Glenn was one of the finest individuals I ever had the privilege to get to know, Cabana said. He and McBride said if it weren't for Glenn, their paths to space could have never happened.

"Working hard pays off," said Cabana, referring to Glenn's pioneering work in American spaceflight. "Being persistent, doing your job, having integrity, it's all worthwhile."

Added McBride: "I'm blessed to have known him. This Earth is blessed to have had him around I guarantee he'll be up there looking down on us for several years."

Glenn will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

All other funeral activities will take place in Ohio.


About the Authors:

James joined News 6 in March 2016 as the Brevard County Reporter. His arrival was the realization of a three-year effort to return to the state where his career began. James is from Pittsburgh, PA and graduated from Penn State in 2009 with a degree in Broadcast Journalism.