Sally Ride passed away yesterday at age 61 after a heroic battle against pancreatic cancer.
Sally Ride made history on June 18, 1983 by becoming the first United States woman to travel in space. Sally was 32 years old at the time, was a noted physicist and was a member of the flight crew for the space shuttle Challenger.
Sally Ride was and will continue to be an inspiration to many people, women and men alike. Her educational discipline in the field of science, her determination to reach her goals, her dedication to the NASA mission and her calm performance of her duties aboard a space mission, with all of its inherent risks, make her a role model for our young people today and I suspect for generations to come.
We should be most grateful for a person such as Sally Ride who opened up the world of science and research to many talented people, especially women, who I am sure will make significant contributions in their respective careers. A star in the heavens is eternally brighter.
Rest in peace Sally. Job well done.
