1st man on moon, Neil Armstrong dies at 82
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This July 20, 1969 file photo provided by NASA shows Neil Armstrong. The family of Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, says he died on Saturday, Aug. 25, 2012, at age 82. --PHOTO: AP
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United States astronaut Buzz Aldrin stands beside a solar wind experiment next to the Lunar Module spacecraft on the surface of the Moon after he and fellow astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first men to land on the Moon during the Apollo 11 space mission July 20, 1969. July 20, 2012 marks the 43rd anniversary of the moon landing. --PHOTO: REUTERS
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This NASA file image shows U.S. astronaut Neil Armstrong, the Apollo 11 Mission Commander, standing next to the Lunar Module "Eagle" on the moon in this July 20, 1969 file photo. --PHOTO: REUTERS
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In this photo from NASA, Apollo 11 commander Neil Armstrong's right foot leaves a footprint in the lunar soil July 20, 1969 as he and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin become the first men to set foot on the surface of the moon. --PHOTO: AFP
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In this March 9, 1966 file photo, Astronaut Neil Armstrong is seated during a suiting up exercise Cape Kennedy, Florida, in preparation for the Gemini 8 flight. --PHOTO: AP
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In this March 16, 1966 file photo, Astronaut Neil A. Armstrong is shown at Complex 19 for a simulated test in preparation for flight. --PHOTO: AP
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In this July 20, 1969 file photo provided by NASA shows Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin, the first men to land on the moon, plant the US. flag on the lunar surface. --PHOTO: AP
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US astronaut Neil Armstrong, who will be the first man to walk on the surface of the moon during Apollo 11 lunar mission, does a rehearsal in Cape Kennedy Space Center 15 July 1969 the day before launching. --PHOTO: AFP
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Apollo 11 Spacecraft Commander Neil Armstrong in the spacesuit as he will appear on the lunar surface at the Manned Spacecraft Center, in Houston, Texas, in this April 18, 1969, handout photo from NASA. --PHOTO: AP
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In this March 16, 1966 file photo, astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, fourth from left, and David R. Scott, third from left, arrive at Complex 19 for a simulated test in preparation for flight. The family of Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, says he died Saturday, Aug. 25, 2012, at age 82. --PHOTO: AP
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This undated file photo provided by NASA shows Neil Armstrong. The family of Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, says he died Saturday, Aug. 25, 2012, at age 82. --PHOTO: AP
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In this May 12 ,2012 file photo, former astronaut Neil Armstrong testifies before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation hearing on NASA's proposed budget and the future of the manned space flight program on Capitol Hill in Washington. --PHOTO: AP
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In this July 20, 2009, photo, Buzz Aldrin, left, Michael Collins, center, and Neil Armstrong stand in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, on the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. --PHOTO: AP
This July 20, 1969 file photo provided by NASA shows Neil Armstrong. The family of Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, says he died on Saturday, Aug. 25, 2012, at age 82. --PHOTO: AP
United States astronaut Buzz Aldrin stands beside a solar wind experiment next to the Lunar Module spacecraft on the surface of the Moon after he and fellow astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first men to land on the Moon during the Apollo 11 space mission July 20, 1969. July 20, 2012 marks the 43rd anniversary of the moon landing. --PHOTO: REUTERS
This NASA file image shows U.S. astronaut Neil Armstrong, the Apollo 11 Mission Commander, standing next to the Lunar Module "Eagle" on the moon in this July 20, 1969 file photo. --PHOTO: REUTERS
In this photo from NASA, Apollo 11 commander Neil Armstrong's right foot leaves a footprint in the lunar soil July 20, 1969 as he and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin become the first men to set foot on the surface of the moon. --PHOTO: AFP
In this March 9, 1966 file photo, Astronaut Neil Armstrong is seated during a suiting up exercise Cape Kennedy, Florida, in preparation for the Gemini 8 flight. --PHOTO: AP
In this March 16, 1966 file photo, Astronaut Neil A. Armstrong is shown at Complex 19 for a simulated test in preparation for flight. --PHOTO: AP
In this July 20, 1969 file photo provided by NASA shows Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin, the first men to land on the moon, plant the US. flag on the lunar surface. --PHOTO: AP
US astronaut Neil Armstrong, who will be the first man to walk on the surface of the moon during Apollo 11 lunar mission, does a rehearsal in Cape Kennedy Space Center 15 July 1969 the day before launching. --PHOTO: AFP
Apollo 11 Spacecraft Commander Neil Armstrong in the spacesuit as he will appear on the lunar surface at the Manned Spacecraft Center, in Houston, Texas, in this April 18, 1969, handout photo from NASA. --PHOTO: AP
In this March 16, 1966 file photo, astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, fourth from left, and David R. Scott, third from left, arrive at Complex 19 for a simulated test in preparation for flight. The family of Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, says he died Saturday, Aug. 25, 2012, at age 82. --PHOTO: AP
This undated file photo provided by NASA shows Neil Armstrong. The family of Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, says he died Saturday, Aug. 25, 2012, at age 82. --PHOTO: AP
In this May 12 ,2012 file photo, former astronaut Neil Armstrong testifies before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation hearing on NASA's proposed budget and the future of the manned space flight program on Capitol Hill in Washington. --PHOTO: AP
In this July 20, 2009, photo, Buzz Aldrin, left, Michael Collins, center, and Neil Armstrong stand in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, on the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. --PHOTO: AP
WASHINGTON (AFP) - Famed United States (US) astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first person to set foot on the moon, has died following complications from cardiovascular surgery, his family said on Saturday. He was 82.
Armstrong underwent cardiac bypass surgery earlier this month after doctors found blockages in his coronary arteries.
Praising Armstrong as a "reluctant American hero," his family said they were heartbroken and in a heartfelt tribute noted that the space pioneer had "served his nation proudly, as a navy fighter pilot, test pilot, and astronaut."
"While we mourn the loss of a very good man, we also celebrate his remarkable life and hope that it serves as an example to young people around the world to work hard to make their dreams come true, to be willing to explore and push the limits, and to selflessly serve a cause greater than themselves," they said in a statement.
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