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"Last Lecture" CMU Professor Randy Pausch Dies
Many readers are sending in word that Randy Pausch has died at 47. The charismatic young college professor celebrated life despite a death sentence from pancreatic cancer in a remarkable speech widely known as the "Last Lecture." The video went viral and has been downloaded by over 10 million people.
He apparently has a speaking role in the new Star Trek film. I wouldn't be surprised to see a dedication now as well.
Everyone hug your kids or your parents or whomever is next to you (if that's allowed by your HR policy). You never know when your time is up.
How much he loved them and what a truly remarkable and inspirational person he was.
Requiem in Pacet.
If only our politicians were a 1/10th of the man that he was.
This is my sig.
Quote: "I mean, the metaphor I've used is ... somebody's going to push my family off a cliff pretty soon, and I won't be there to catch them. And that breaks my heart. But I have some time to sew some nets to cushion the fall. So, I can curl up in a ball and cry, or I can get to work on the nets."
Wow.
Rest in peace. Both the world and academia need more men like you. Thank you for the inspiration you've given me without ever even meeting me. You will be missed.
He was a remarkable man. I live just north of Pittsburgh and had the honor of meeting him briefly early last year. He will be remembered well by all, not just those around the CMU area.
My father is also a professor (of civil engineering) and is dying of the same. He linked me this video - I'm afraid to watch it, afraid I'll break down.
I thank him anyway, to know that I am not alone.
I actually read the article first and then googled more references.
This article is amazing.
My wife's father died from metastatic colin cancer that went to his lungs. She still has bouts of depression, and I have often wondered what I should be doing to help her and my kids should I check out early. This is the best that I have ever come across.
Either give it away or get top dollar, but never sell yourself cheap.
Got sent his video and was entranced. It summed up an awful lot of what I felt was wrong with my life. I'd raise a glass to him but have given up drinking based on that lecture.
Two years ago, I'd had all the symptoms of pancreatic cancer and my doctor had ordered up an MRI to check it out. For 4 days, between getting told to get the test and when the results came in, I just wandered around like I'd been drugged. Thankfully, the result was negative, but to this day, I can't imagine how that guy managed to refocus his mind and life. Pancreatic cancer usually means "6 months" (or less) and for a lot of that the living is a technicality.
You done good, guy.
A couple weeks ago an article in the "Aging" series tabulated:
Cancer 20%
Heart Disease 25%
Old Age decline - demntia, pneumonia, etc. 40%
Other - accidents, etc. 15%
Based on the discussion earlier this week about teaching children how to program, I followed a recommended link to the Alice language. What a fantastic idea that builds upon many of the concepts of teaching and learning an object based computer programming language. That it extends so naturally from the MIT based Scratch language is just a bonus.
So I got to know a little of Dr. Pausch's work earlier this week thank to Slashdot, and now get to sit here in sadness for a few minutes thanks to the same.
This post brought to you by your friendly neighborhood MBA.
I had Prof. Pausch as a teacher, in '97 or '98, at the University of Virginia in a "Usability Engineering" class. It was hands down the best class I took at The University, and he was an absolutely amazing teacher. His "last lecture" made him famous, but his work in the classroom is what made him great.
I don't know if you've ever talked to the guy, but he's probably one of the most positive people I've ever met. he goes far beyond what his lecture and book have. he's the guy who would find the good in everything, as cliched as that sounds. I kept up on his personal blog, which talked about his health as he dealt with the cancer. this guy was RUNNING and doing exercise and being outside and feeling alive while having cancer. he said it best, "I may have a lot of my stamina [from chemo], but I can probably run a quarter mile faster than most Americans." and what he did for pancreatic cancer research is huge. RIP Randy, we'll miss you.
I am so sad. His attitude reminded me a lot of my father (who also recently died from cancer). I began checking is blog regularly. And when he started outliving the estimates I (like an idiot) must have convinced myself that he was going to survive this, in spite of the fact that it was a terminal prognosis.
This is so terrible. I should be learning something here. I should try to take on the attitude that he had, apply it to my life and so on. But I can't right now.
To everyone who hasn't has to glance at the sand and make that choice, it's disheartening how many people don't chose to live life as if they could be taken away at any moment. As someone who even had to THINK about it, it saddens me that I cannot live my life ready to leave at a moments notice.
But, at least I didn't stop to watch the sand flow out and neither did he. He has my respect for that.
Ask not what you can do for your country. Ask what your country did to you
I wish my schools had figures like this guy...
I went to school in eastern Europe, where we got a STRONG education=good education with a hard exam system.
Still sometimes it is not quantity of knowledge but positive spirit what people should be getting.
I read some negative comments, and I feel sorry for the people posting them.,,,,
Well, just my opinion.... and while I read a lot of interesting TECH stuff on /. (and thank for it), this is really a piece (the video) I am thankful for.
Cheers