James Lovell died at 97 years old on Thursday and Tom Hanks is paying tribute to him.
The 69-year-old actor portrayed the former NASA commander in 1995’s “Apollo 13,” which told the story of the ill-fated 1970 lunar mission that endured critical failures before safely returning to Earth.
He wrote on Instagram, “There are people who dare, who dream, and who lead others to the places we would not go on our own. Jim Lovell, who for a long while had gone farther into space and for longer than any other person of our planet, was that kind of guy.”
He continues, “His many voyages around Earth and on to so-very-close to the moon were not made for riches or celebrity, but because such challenges as those are what fuels the course of being alive — and who better than Jim Lovell to make those voyages. On this night of a full moon, he passes on — to the heavens, to the cosmos, to the stars. God speed you, on this next voyage, Jim Lovell.”
The director of “Apollo 13,” Ron Howard, shared his sentiments to the former Navy test pilot, as he admitted it had been a “tremendous honor” to know such a “remarkable” man, who took part in four space missions during his life.
Sharing a carousel of photos and videos of the astronaut, including side-by-side photos from his film and the real life events, he wrote, “RIP #CommanderLovell. Navy test pilot, Gemini 7, Gemini 12, Apollo 8 and, of course, Apollo 13.
“Simply knowing Jim has been a tremendous honor. His combination of intellect, courage and commitment to duty made him one of the most remarkable individuals I’ve ever met. His support of our movie-making efforts inspired authenticity and elevated our process in so many ways. Thank you, sir, for your service to our country and to humankind.”
RIP James.