See 7 of Mister Rogers Most Inspiring TV Moments, Over Two Decades After His Death
See 7 of Mister Rogers Most Inspiring TV Moments, Over Two Decades After His Death
Diana Pearl, Carson BlackwelderFri, February 27, 2026 at 11:00 AM UTC
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A portrait of Fred Rogers on the TV series 'Mister Rogers' Neighborhood,' circa 1980sCredit: Fotos International/Getty -
Fred Rogers, best known for his TV show Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, died on Feb. 27, 2003
The late host inspired generations of children to be kinder to one another and to be curious about the world
In honor of the 23rd anniversary of his death, revisit some of Rogers' most memorable moments on-screen, where he tackled issues such as racism, death and more
Fred Rogers, best known to fans as Mister Rogers, made each day a special day on television.
The creator and longtime host of the children's series Mister Rogers' Neighborhood — which aired over 900 episodes across 31 seasons between 1968 and 2001 — died on Feb. 27, 2003, at the age of 74 from stomach cancer.
From inspiring kids to be confident to spreading kindness and fostering compassion when discussing sensitive and emotional topics, audiences of all ages wanted to be the affable host's neighbor.
"People were important to him," Rogers' wife, Joanne Rogers (née Byrd), told PEOPLE in November 2019 before she died in January 2021. "He was to me and to the family who he is to everybody else."
Rogers' legacy in programming and public service has endured both on- and off-screen since his death, including in the 2018 documentary Won't You Be My Neighbor?. The 2019 biopic A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, starring Tom Hanks as Rogers and Tony Award-winning actress Maryann Plunkett as his wife, also chronicled the late TV icon's life and family. He and Joanne tied the knot in 1952 and shared two children.
In honor of the 23rd anniversary of Rogers' death, revisit some of his most inspiring and heartwarming on-screen moments below.
1. Mister Rogers' decades-long friendship with Jeff Erlanger
In this clip from a 1981 episode of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, Mister Rogers talked to Jeff Erlanger, a young boy who uses an electric wheelchair, about his life and health. The pair eventually sang "It's You I Like" together.
If that alone doesn't make you burst into tears, maybe this fun fact will: decades later, Erlanger surprised Rogers onstage to induct him into the Television Hall of Fame in 1999. The moment brought Rogers to his feet, with his mouth agape in surprise as the duo reunited at the ceremony.
2. Mister Rogers worries about the impact of violence on children
Following the assassinations of both Martin Luther King Jr. and Senator Robert F. Kennedy in 1968, Rogers took time on-screen to voice his concerns about the levels of violence that children were seeing in the world and in the media.
"I plead for your protection and support for your young children," he said to the camera, addressing parents at home. "There is just so much that a very young child can take without it being overwhelming."
3. Mister Rogers puts death into perspective
On a 1970 episode of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, the star served like a grief counselor when he told a story about the death of his childhood dog.
Mister Rogers told the story of him crying after the dog's death and even shared a photo of his canine companion with viewers.
"Sometimes people get sad, and they really do feel bad," the world's kindest neighbor sang. "But the very same people who are sad sometimes are the very same people who are glad sometimes. It's funny, but it's true. It's the same, isn't it, for me, isn't it the same for you?"
4. Mister Rogers speaks candidly about divorce
As divorce became more and more common in America, Mister Rogers tackled the topic over a week of shows, and made sure children knew that their parents' divorce was never their fault.
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"I know a little girl and a little boy whose mother and father got a divorce, and those children cried and cried," Mister Rogers said on a 1981 episode of the show.
He continued, "You know why? One reason was because they thought it was all their fault. But of course it wasn’t their fault. Things like weddings and having babies and buying houses and cars and getting divorces are all grown-up things."
5. Mister Rogers tackles racial inequality with Officer Clemmons
Mister Rogers broke down one barrier of racial inequality with a seemingly simple and short segment on a 1969 episode of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.
On the episode, he invited Officer Clemmons, a Black police officer character on the show played by François Clemmons, to join in and cool off his feet in a small plastic pool on what was a hot day in the neighborhood — and to share his towel, too.
While segregation of different races in public areas was outlawed in the U.S. with the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, some pools across the country (primarily in the South) didn't allow Black people to share the same water with white people. With Mister Rogers inviting Officer Clemmons to do so, he took the bigotry of the time head-on.
Nearly 25 years later, Mister Rogers and Officer Clemmons recreated the scene on a 1993 episode.
6. Mister Rogers accepts a Lifetime Achievement Award
In honor of his decades of service educating children on television, Rogers accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Daytime Emmy Awards in 1997.
"So many people have helped me to come to this night. Some of you are here. Some are far away. Some are even in heaven. All of us have special ones who have loved us into being," he began.
Rogers then asked the audience to take 10 seconds to think of the people "who have helped you become who you are" or "those who have cared about you and wanted what was best for you in life" and kept the time, allowing those in the room to soak up the silence.
After the 10 seconds passed, he said, "Whomever you've been thinking about, how pleased they must be to know the difference you feel they've made."
There wasn't a dry eye in the room.
7. Mister Rogers says farewell to the neighborhood
For the final moments of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood in 2001, less than two years before his death, Mister Rogers signed off by reflecting on the impact the show had made on the lives of its viewers — whom he referred to as his "lifelong friends" — and gave them all a virtual hug with his lasting words.
"I'm just so proud of all of you who have grown up with us, and I know how tough it is some days to look with hope and confidence on the months and years ahead, but I would like to tell you what I often told you when you were much younger: I like you just the way you are," he said.
And just like that, it was the end of an era.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
