NOEL KING, HOST:
Social media was flooded yesterday with videos and messages from around the world. Here's one from Twitter user John Rizzo.
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JOHN RIZZO: I can't tell you what you've meant to our house, to our family, to our life in traveling and culinary adventures.
KING: In the video, Rizzo and his wife raise glasses of wine. They're toasting Anthony Bourdain, the chef, author and TV star who took his life last year.
STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
Yesterday would've been his 63rd birthday, and to celebrate, his friends and fellow chefs, Jose Andres and Eric Ripert, declared it Bourdain Day. They made a simple request to followers - take a video of yourself raising a glass to Bourdain and then share it on social media. And, boy, did people rise to that challenge as friends and fans paid tribute to Tony.
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CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: When I think of you, I choose love - love for all the fabulous places, the food, the friendships that you've brought us to - and especially love for all the differences that you've encouraged us to celebrate and, Tony, love for you.
KING: That was Christiane Amanpour of CNN. And, of course, there was a lot of love from culinary professionals, like this group from Ripert's restaurant Le Bernardin in New York.
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UNIDENTIFIED CROWD: Happy birthday, Tony.
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INSKEEP: There were messages from people inspired by Bourdain over the years. In a video posted to his Twitter account, Tony Cava raised a glass to the chef.
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TONY CAVA: Happy birthday, Tony. This one's for you. And thank you for teaching us all how to live.
KING: And a note to our listeners as we close - if you or someone you know may be considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. They're at 1-800-273-8255.
(SOUNDBITE OF MICHAEL RUFFINO'S "RISING SUN BLUES (KING KONG MIX)") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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