Ever since Brian was a young boy, he loved anything to do with space. When he moved to Merritt Island, Florida, with his young family in 1980, it was a dream come true to live so close to Kennedy Space Center. Witnessing the first shuttle launch in April 1981 was a thrill. And he never missed a NASA or SpaceX launch. He would watch the countdown on television and then run out to his dock on the Indian River to enjoy the actual launch. - Cathy
My father took me and my classmates on a field trip with Grandpa Lally to the Kennedy Space Center when I was in either kindergarten or first grade. In high school, as a summer job, I worked for six weeks at the Kennedy Space Center Press site, and seeing the rockets and shuttles up close and personal and coming home with old space magazines brought a big smile on dad’s face. Of course, there is the infamous story about me typing my name on the keyboard going under some ropes undetected by both my dad and Mr. Marczak that almost launched the shuttle when I was six years old. I remember seeing the windows shake at our house on Jason Street and watching the light of the space shuttle beam into the clouds with the sonic boom following soon after. When I read the children’s story, How Much is a Million by David M. Schwartz, to my daughter, I always think fondly of my dad when we get to the pages about the stars. - Marykate
One of the first thoughts that comes to my mind when thinking about my dad is flight. He loved everything about it. He dedicated his career to aviation and obtained his pilot license flying small planes as a hobby. He loved science fiction, Star Trek, and Star Wars. He used to make me laugh because Mission to Mars was his favorite ride at Epcot. He would go on that ride over and over if he could. My appreciation for the constellations came from him. I remember him showing me Orion and explaining others to me. I once got him a crystal ball paperweight with a galaxy inside that he kept on his desk. I learned about the Next Spaceflight launch app from my dad; it seemed he knew everything about the rockets and would talk about them to anyone interested. I have so much pride when I think about him living his dream, watching every rocket launch possible right from his beautiful backyard on the river. - Erin
My dad once told me that there are those who do and those who watch other people do it. He was absolutely one of those who do. He truly took life by the horns and created an amazing life for himself, and I think more importantly to him, his family. He was a thrill seeker and a sci-fi guru, and I think that translated into his love for space and the unknown. He taught me to think and look at things in different ways, and because of that, I’ve grown to love everything about space and all the questions of the universe. I’ll never forget when he took me to sit near the launchpad for one of the last shuttle launches. The raw power as it rose into the sky rattled my bones, and it was one of the most incredible experiences I’ve ever had, and I’m so grateful he was there with me. Now, he will have a part of him lifted into space, and I’ll be there with him again. I love you, Dad; you did everything for us. - Mike
