The death today of actor Leonard Nimoy, best known for his role as the half-Vulcan, half-human Mr. Spock in Star Trek, at age 83 prompted an outpouring of grief on social media.
Many people pointed to his own final tweet, which at the time of writing has been retweeted more than 120,000 times.
The "LLAP" in the tweet refers to "Live long and prosper," the line Mr. Spock is arguably most associated with (from the Vulcan "Dif-tor heh smusma").
A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP
— Leonard Nimoy (@TheRealNimoy) February 23, 2015
Here are some reactions to his death.
President Obama, in a statement, also paid tribute:
"Long before being nerdy was cool, there was Leonard Nimoy. Leonard was a lifelong lover of the arts and humanities, a supporter of the sciences, generous with his talent and his time. And of course, Leonard was Spock. Cool, logical, big-eared and level-headed, the center of Star Trek's optimistic, inclusive vision of humanity's future.
"I loved Spock.
"In 2007, I had the chance to meet Leonard in person. It was only logical to greet him with the Vulcan salute, the universal sign for 'Live long and prosper.' And after 83 years on this planet — and on his visits to many others — it's clear Leonard Nimoy did just that. Michelle and I join his family, friends, and countless fans who miss him so dearly today. "
Many of the tributes online came in the form of this line — or a variation of it from The Wrath of Khan,the secondStar Trekmovie.
NPR's Neda Ulaby is remembering Nimoy and his legacy on tonight's All Things Considered. She says:
"As Dr. McCoy says in a scene after Spock's death in Star Trek II: 'He's not really dead as long as we remember him.' And as Mr. Spock, Leonard Nimoy said goodbye to us so many times: 'Live long and prosper.' "
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