The Last Lecture, Randy Pausch and his words of wisdom

Kasie brought out a book to the family room to read. "Do you think Kyle would read this?" she asked as she showed me the book. The book was The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. Clarke said, "He died today." Kasie and I spoke simultaneously as we looked wide eyed at each other, "How weird is that?" We knew he was dying but something in us still didn't believe it would really happen. Today, when we were seeking words of wisdom to share with my teenaged son, even though Randy was gone, his words washed upon our shore.

Randy said in his book that he was disappointed to not have the opportunity to be around for his children when they are teenagers. He said he felt he would just be coming into his own as a father by then and really looked forward to the challenge.

And I thought of the brick wall he talked about... "The brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough. They are there to stop the other people."

I want my son to be happy and healthy. I want it badly. No brick wall will stop me from trying.

Randy, thank you for your words of wisdom on a day we needed them. Your bottle washed up on our shore. We picked it up, read it and now toss it back for others to find.

An Enduring Legacy
Randy Pausch Inspired Millions

Randy Pausch, the professor at Carnegie Mellon University who inspired countless students in the classroom and others worldwide through his highly acclaimed last lecture, has died of complications from pancreatic cancer. He was 47.

Also a Carnegie Mellon alumnus, Pausch co-founded the Entertainment Technology Center and led researchers who created Alice, a revolutionary way to teach computer programming. He was widely respected in academic circles for a unique interdisciplinary approach, bringing together artists, dramatists and designers to break new ground by working in collaboration with computer scientists.

Outside the classroom, he gained public fame for delivering what would come to be known as "The Last Lecture." On Sept. 18, 2007, only a month after doctors told him that he had three-to-six months to live following a recurrence of pancreatic cancer, he presented a lecture called "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams" to a packed auditorium at Carnegie Mellon.The moving and often humorous talk recounted his efforts to achieve such childhood dreams as becoming a professional football player, experiencing zero gravity and developing Disney World attractions. In the process, he shared his insights on finding the good in other people, working hard to overcome obstacles and living generously."If you lead your life the right way, the karma will take care of itself," Pausch said. "The dreams will come to you."The video appeared on countless websites and has been viewed by millions. Appearances on the Oprah Winfrey Show, ABC's Good Morning America and the CBS Evening News followed.A book version, "The Last Lecture" co-written by Jeff Zaslow of the Wall Street Journal (and a fellow Carnegie Mellon alumnus), became a best-seller upon its release this spring."Randy had an enormous and lasting impact on Carnegie Mellon," said Carnegie Mellon President Jared L. Cohon. "A brilliant researcher and gifted teacher, he was a key member of our Human-Computer Interaction Institute and co-founder of the Entertainment Technology Center. His love of teaching, his sense of fun and his brilliance came together in the Alice project, which teaches students computer programming while enabling them to do something fun — making animated movies and games. Carnegie Mellon — and the world — are better places for having had Randy Pausch in them."Pausch was also a pioneer in the development of virtual reality, including creating the popular Building Virtual Worlds class.A memorial service at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh is being planned; details will be announced at a later date.He is survived by his wife, Jai, and three children: Chloe, Dylan and Logan. The family requests that donations on his behalf be directed to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, 2141 Rosecrans Ave., Suite 7000, El Segundo, CA 90245, or to Carnegie Mellon's Randy Pausch Memorial Fund, which the university will use primarily to support continued work on the Alice project.

For more information on Randy's life and legacy, read In Memoriam: Randy Pausch, Innovative Computer Scientist at Carnegie Mellon, Launched Education Initiatives, Gained Worldwide Acclaim for Last Lecture.

Related Links: Watch Randy's Lecture on YouTube About Randy's Last Lecture Download Randy's Lecture on iTunes U Buy the Book