Michael Collins, one of the original three-man crew of the first manned mission to the Moon, has passed away at age 90 after “a valiant battle with cancer.”
Collins reportedly passed away Wednesday, and “spent his final days peacefully, with his family by his side” according to his relatives.
During the Apollo 11 mission in 1969, Collins was the crew member to stay in the lander orbiting the moon as his crewmates, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, exited the craft and walked on the lunar surface. While in the craft, Collins was more distant from another human being than any other person in human history.
Armstrong previously passed away in 2012, leaving Aldrin, 91, as the only surviving member of the mission.
In a statement, Collins’ family said that “Mike always faced the challenges of life with grace and humility, and faced this, his final challenge, the same way”.
“We will miss him terribly. Yet we also know how lucky Mike felt to have lived the life he did. We will honour his wish for us to celebrate, not mourn, that life.”
The family also asked for privacy “during this difficult time”.