Slashdot Mirror
"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.
For those of you who haven't seen the video, take some time to watch it. Really, it's worth it.
"No one likes working in a hamster wheel, and your shop smells of cedar shavings from here." - TaleSpinner
Discovered his lecture on the internet late last year just as I was moving to Pittsburgh. It's quite an interesting and inspiring story. He was a remarkable individual. Rest in Peace, friend.
Is it possible to organize a minute of silence on the Slashdot? Oh well, I know the answer.
In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is. - Yogi Berra
That was an amazing speech, Professor Pausch. Your family will be in my prayers. You had a great way of looking at life, and I sincerely believe that your children will benefit very much from that.
I know many people who already have...
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.
Follow the link for the transcription of Randy Pausch's Last Lecture.
How much he loved them and what a truly remarkable and inspirational person he was.
Requiem in Pacet.
http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=4614281
Some days it's just not worth
chewing through my restraints.
Off all the viral videos I've seen over the years, I think his "Last Lecture" was the most moving and worthwhile I have ever seen.
It's pretty hard to talk about something as scary as terminal cancer, yet while he kept reminding the listeners of his condition, his energy and charisma kept making you forget that the man was sick.
It's too bad the article that Yahoo! had failed to mention that he got to spend a day with the Pittsburgh Steelers and their wide receiver, Hines Ward. While he didn't actually play in the NFL, I imagine he came as close as he was going to get. I think he managed to nail all of his "bucket list".
People with such great vision are hard to come by. Having that vision while still having such a willingness to share it with others, with great entusiasm, is even more rare.
May his family keep their memories of him always in their minds. R.I.P.
If only our politicians were a 1/10th of the man that he was.
This is my sig.
While he recently became a household name with The Last Lecture, he was a longtime proponent of gaming as a vehicle for computer science education. His work at CMU, and partnerships with Disney and Electronic Arts, helped legitimize gaming and play in the university, and brought the university into the video game industry. Even before The Last Lecture anyone who had the chance to study with him or just chat with him for a few minutes knew they were talking with a man with a passion for play, technology and life, and a lifelong sense of wonder we can all emulate. Three cheers for Randy Pausch!
I'm all tears as I write this. I've been following Prof Pausch on web since the time that video was posted. If you see his video, blog and other web commentary, you would realize how he was the embodiment of positive energy.
Hell, I even checked on him last week - and his blog posted that he was off chemo. I was happy to know that he was doing well. :(
Prof Pausch, we will miss you.
http://www.cmu.edu/homepage/beyond/2008/summer/an-enduring-legacy.shtml
You have to be brave to be able to face what he did the way he did it. I think I would rather be run over by a train without a moment's notice.
[ home ]
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.
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.
Imagine how much better books could be if they listed the emotion you were supposed to be feeling at the end of every line...
Nerd rage is the funniest rage.
Never thought I'd be a grammar Nazi in Latin. Professor Paush's lecture was truly heartwarming and inspiring. My thoughts are with his family and friends, and I hope they'll keep his memory alive for his young children. It's sad to think that they'll never truly know him.
Rest into peace?
Requiescat in pace. Learn your Latin.
Well that would probably kill him.
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%
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.
Estray inway eacepay.
Obama likes poor people so much, he wants to make more of them.
Dr. Randy Pausch was part of the team that created Alice, a tool to teach programming masquerading as a game. Salute Dr. Pausch's memory by downloading Alice and playing with it. And if you can, help the effort to finish Alice v. 3!
Knowledge is power. Knowledge shared is power multiplied.
Snape Kills Dumbledore {Sadness, but triumphant relief}
I like to place meaningful quotes in my sig, so people will know that I know what meaningful quotes are.
Death is a fundamental part of life. Without death, no one would respect or value the life he has. Everyone will react to death differently. Some will be sad; others will celebrate the positive contributions.
As for the "time to show your weakness," I completely disagree. Dr. Pausch has a wife and three children. Did his terminal cancer suddenly absolve him of his responsibilities to them? This isn't about him satisfying some egotistical urge, it's about him providing future support for his family. His stories are entertaining, yes, but the entertainment aspect is the "head fake" to get his audience to listen to and comprehend the deeper philosophical message. He could have just blurted out "work hard, don't give up," but it wouldn't have had the same impact.
He has set the bar pretty high. I should hope to be as much a man as he.
Snape Kills Dumbledore {Sadness, but triumphant relief}
Way to ruin it for me, you insensitive clod!
"The past was erased, the erasure was forgotten, the lie became truth." ~1984 George Orwell