Tom Hanks paid touching tribute to “Apollo 13” astronaut Jim Lovell on Friday as news of the 97-year-old’s death circulated online.
The Oscar-winning actor starred in Ron Howard’s Oscar-winning 1995 feature, “Apollo 13,” as the real-life commander of the 1970 space mission that nearly ended in tragedy.
“There are people who dare, who dream and who lead others to the places we would not go on our own,” Hanks wrote on Instagram. “Jim Lovell, who for a long while had gone farther into space and for longer than any other person of our planet, was that kind of guy.
“His many voyages around Earth and on to so-very-close to the moon were not made for riches or celebrity, but because such challenges as those are what fuels the course of being alive — and who better than Jim Lovell to make those voyages,” the actor continued.
Hanks concluded his post, expressing how fitting it was that Friday is a full moon — one that will see Lovell through to the great unknown.
“On this night of a full moon, he passes on — to the heavens, to the cosmos, to the stars,” he wrote. “Godspeed you, on this next voyage, Jim Lovell.”
Lovell was the naval aviator and mechanical engineer most famous for commanding the space mission Apollo 13 safely back to Earth after mechanical issues led to an aborted moon landing in 1970. He died Thursday in Lake Forest, Illinois.
NASA Administrator Sean Duffy shared the news of Lovell’s death on Friday in a special tribute.
“NASA sends its condolences to the family of Capt. Jim Lovell, whose life and work inspired millions of people across the decades,” Duffy wrote on NASA’s official website. “Jim’s character and steadfast courage helped our nation reach the Moon and turned a potential tragedy into a success from which we learned an enormous amount. We mourn his passing even as we celebrate his achievements.”
Lovell also co-authored the 1994 nonfiction account of the Apollo 13 space launch, “Lost Moon: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13.” That book with Jeffrey Kluger served as the source material for Howard’s “Apollo 13.” The film co-starred Bill Paxton and Kevin Bacon.
“Apollo 13” director Ron Howard and producer Brian Grazer also shared their sympathies for the astronaut’s passing in two statements obtained by TheWrap.
“Rest in peace, Commander Lovell. Navy test pilot, Gemini 7, Gemini 12, Apollo 8 and, of course, Apollo 13. Simply knowing Jim has been a tremendous honor,” Howard said. “His combination of intellect, courage and commitment to duty made him one of the most remarkable individuals I’ve ever met. His support of our movie-making efforts inspired authenticity and elevated our process in so many ways. Thank you, sir, for your service to our country and to humankind.”
Grazer remembered Lovell as “a true American hero whose courage, intellect and grace under pressure inspired a nation. He was not only a legend in space exploration, but also an incredibly generous, kind and inspiring man. Thank you, Commander Lovell, for showing us the best of what we can be.”
