Positive Profile: Mister Rogers … ‘Won’t You Be My Neighbor?’

Jay Lucas
SUNSHINE INITIATIVE
This week we are delighted to profile someone who epitomizes the very idea of what it means to be a good neighbor, Mister Rogers!

“When I think of a good neighbor, I immediately think of Mister Rogers. Fred Rogers, who was famous for his public television show that ran for 31 seasons, asked in every episode, ‘Won’t you be my neighbor?’

An unlikely TV star, Rogers started his small-screen career in 1968 in Pittsburgh through community television, and his show eventually became a national sensation.

However, his TV career was not what he originally planned, as Rogers was an ordained minister. He attended Dartmouth College in 1946 and stayed there for one year before transferring to another school for his divinity degree.

But his heart was for children. He pursued a graduate degree in child development and was famous for his kindness and generosity as so often demonstrated on his show, helping kids understand and control their feelings.

A member of our Sunshine team shared a personal story about Mr. Rogers. Back in 1995, his son was suffering from severe medical issues, and his mother knew Mr. Rogers through their church affiliation. She asked if he would give my team member’s son a call. Not only did he spend about 15 minutes on the phone with him, but he also sent him a box of Mr. Rogers’ goodies, including a signed shirt. Mr. Rogers didn’t just ‘talk the talk,’ but followed through with human caring.

Rogers came back to Dartmouth in 2002 to give the commencement speech, which was one of his final public appearances before he died in 2003. In 2018, the U.S. Post Office honored him with a forever stamp.

Who among us will ever forget the opening scene of the show, Mister Rogers putting on his sneakers, and the magic of being invited to be his neighbor? Thank you, Fred Rogers, for the enormous positive impact you have made on several generations of Americans!