“I have been and always shall be your friend.”

My heart breaks with the news of Leonard Nimoy’s passing, my honorary Grandpa. I grew up in a Trekkie household. I appreciated his work as an actor and artist, from his photography work to his role as Spock in TOS.

Nimoy, most known for his role as Spock in the ‘Star Trek’ franchise, has passed away at his home on Friday in Los Angeles. He was 83.

His wife, Susan Bay Nimoy, confirmed that he passed away after a long battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Last year, Nimoy revealed that he was suffering from chronic lung disease, attributing to a smoking habit that he quit over 30 years ago. “I quit smoking 30 years ago. Not soon enough. Grandpa says, quit now!!”

Nimoy’s granddaughter Dani released the following statement about her late grandfather:  

Hi all, as you all know, my Grandpa passed away this morning at 8:40 from end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He was an extraordinary man, husband, grandfather, brother, actor, author-the list goes on- and friend. Thank you for the warm condolences. May you all LLAP. – Dani P.s. I will be putting special shirts up on our site, SHOPLLAP.com, where all of the proceeds will go to the COPD Foundation. I hope to hear from you all.

Nimoy’s final Tweet from Monday:

“We are assembled here today to pay final respects to our honored dead. And yet it should be noted that in the midst of our sorrow, this death takes place in the shadow of new life, the sunrise of a new world; a world that our beloved comrade gave his life to protect and nourish. He did not feel this sacrifice a vain or empty one, and we will not debate his profound wisdom at these proceedings. Of my friend, I can only say this: of all the souls I have encountered in my travels, his was the most… human.” – Captain Kirk, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

My Vulcan salute (photo taken 2yrs ago):

He lived long and prospered. RIP Grandpa Nimoy.