Thanks for the Memories, Sir Patrick Stewart, Captain Picard, Professor Xavier
For roughly 60 years, fans everywhere marveled at episodes of ‘Star Trek’ and the various ‘X-Men’ franchise movies that featured the now late and great Patrick Stewart. The world of theater and acting called to him when he was just 12 years old, and now he has over 150 acting credits to his name that is left behind from his impressive long time career legacy. His name is a household name, especially to sci-fi fans everywhere.
His name has been in the news all week from his recent passing. We forget that when see celebrities in the news that they are people just like us too. They may be famous and known for more popular reasons than we as individuals are, but they are just like us. They have families. They have hobbies. They are missing late loved ones too. They are trying to leave their mark behind in this world just like we are. Sir Patrick Stewart showed us that although he may be mostly remembered for his acting roles during his life, that he too left a legacy behind aside from just acting.
For example, did you know that he was a dedicated human rights and humanitarian advocate? He was also connected to Amnesty International, where he campaigned to combat violence against women. He wanted to end domestic violence, for when he was a child he witnessed his father physically abuse his mother. He remembered not liking how professionals blamed his mother for the abuse, and as he grew up he wanted to make changes and improvements for victims. He even became an ambassador for ‘Refuge,’ the UK’s largest domestic abuse charity trying to do whatever he could to make a positive change.
He even advocated for refugees and families who were displaced by natural disasters or even war. Patrick even fought for mental health improvements for war veterans, fought for animals rights, and was truly an inspiration to the world with his efforts.
Talk about leaving a legacy behind.
Celebrities are known for their movie, TV, or even music roles, but it’s easy for society to forget that there is more to a celebrity than just the role they are most known for. Sir Patrick Stewart didn’t just leave acting role legacies behind—he left a lifetime of respectable efforts to make the world a better place in the time he was given here.
We all can contribute something extraordinary to our society. We all have the chance to be remembered for something—whether a movie role, or a digital legacy company being founded, a charity we volunteer for, or simply for cooking the best tasting Thanksgiving turkey each year for a large family. Whatever it is that you want to be remembered for, and whatever legacy you wish to leave behind, “Make it so.”
In memory of Sir Patrick Stewart,
July 13, 1940 - October 28, 2026