Remembering Walt

[DisMike]

I was thinking the other night about the day Walt Disney died. I was 6 years old. My family was driving home from some Christmasy thing that we had gone to.

I was sitting in the back in the center of our 1961 Ford. The radio announcer said that Walt Disney had died. I shot up in my seat to hear better (seat belts were optional equipment then) not believing what I was hearing.

Walt Disney couldn't die!!! He's like Santa! He'll be around forever!!

The reporter said it again and i was devastated. It was almost exactly the same as if someone had told my 6 year old mind that Santa had died. The effect was about the same.

As I thought about it, to me, Walt was like Santa. Santa lived in a far away magical place with a castle called the North Pole that you couldn't get to. He was surrounded by magical, other-worldly but benevolent creatures spreading joy to all boys and girls.

Walt Disney was similar. I grew up in New Jersey. Walt lived in a magical place with a castle called Disneyland (actually thought he lived there) that I couldn't get to.

To remind folks, in the mid-60s airfare from NY to LA was about $300/person. There were 6 of us. My dad made about $100/week. Do the math. Might as well have been the North Pole.

He was surrounded by magical, other-worldly but benevolent creatures spreading joy to all boys and girls.

Anyway, to those of us who were fortunate to be walking the planet at the same time as Walt Disney there was something special about him. I can't put my finger on it. When he came into our homes every Sunday night it was magical.

Sorry, starting to ramble. I loved Walt Disney as a kid. I still do. Perhaps it was fitting that he died during the Christmas season. He WAS just like Santa. In some ways even better.

Thanks Walt!!

 

[DLtorgo]

Thanks for sharing your memory DisMike. Walt died before my time but I remember when Jim Henson died and it was similar for me. How amazing these rare creative geniuses are. Their work will continue to inspire generations to come.

 

[jlmarr]

I remember hearing about Walt - I was in junior high, and a fellow classmate mentioned it between classes, stunning news. I'll always remember where I was and how I heard the news. Ditto Jim Henson decades later.

 

[PinkBudgie]

He died before I was born too. But I used to watch the Wonderful World of Disney where he introduced the show. When I found out that those were old and had already died, I was shocked and disappointed. I still feel bad about how many more great innovations the world missed out on.

 

[ChickenCarlos]

i remember when i was a little kid always seeing him on TV, and old cartoons Introducing them, and doing the wonder world of disney, and of course all his pictures around the park, then when Michael Eisner started doing the Wonder World of Disney intros, i asked my mom, "what happened to Walt" and she told he died, but then she added, like 20 years ago, and i remember my heart just sinking, because i always though i would eventually see him at the park

 

[Teki]

Its so awesome that you posted this I like to hear perspectives of people that were around at that time thanks alot for posting this!

 

[SnowWhite09]

Walt died before I was even born, but even thinking about it now makes me feel like crying. What he created is simply magical and I made sure I thanked him for everything when I visited DL last year. He was an amazing person and it certainly was a great loss for the world to lose someone who had so much to offer!