The Second Human to Step on the Moon, Buzz Aldrin
Private Ceremony with Longtime Girlfriend 30 Years Younger
The Only Surviving Apollo 11 Astronaut
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyun-jung] Buzz Aldrin, the second human to step on the moon after Neil Armstrong aboard Apollo 11 in 1969, recently got married for the fourth time at the age of 93.
Aldrin announced his marriage on Twitter on the 20th (local time). He said on Twitter, "I am happy to share the news that I married my longtime love, Dr. Anca For, on my 93rd birthday." He added, "We had a simple and sacred private wedding in Los Angeles and are as excited as teenagers eloping in love." In the photo posted with the tweet, Aldrin was dressed in a black tuxedo with medals, and the bride was holding a bouquet in a sparkling see-through dress.
According to foreign media, this is Aldrin's fourth marriage. He has two sons and one daughter from his first marriage, and although he married two more times afterward, both ended in divorce. His fourth wife, For, is 63 years old, 30 years younger than Aldrin, and serves as the vice president of 'Buzz Aldrin Ventures,' a company named after Aldrin.
Pilot-Turned-Astronaut... Also a Korean War Veteran
Born on January 20, 1930, Aldrin graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and was commissioned as a U.S. Air Force pilot officer. He also served as a pilot during the Korean War. In 1963, after earning a Ph.D. in orbital rendezvous research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), he was selected as a NASA astronaut.
In July 1969, Aldrin boarded Apollo 11 with Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins and went to the moon, becoming the second person to step on the lunar surface after Armstrong. Although he became relatively less famous compared to Armstrong, the first human to walk on the moon, Aldrin holds a unique record. He conducted the first communion on the moon. Just before exiting the spacecraft, he read a Bible verse and took communion with bread and wine, earning the distinction of being the first person to consume alcohol in space.
After serving as a pilot, soldier, scientist, and astronaut, Aldrin also worked as a futurist and took on roles such as NASA spokesperson, actively promoting space exploration. However, his life was not without difficulties. He was attacked by many who persistently claimed the 'moon landing conspiracy theory,' and he suffered from depression and alcoholism.
Disney Movie 'Toy Story's Buzz Based on Him
An unexpected joy for him came from Disney's animated film 'Toy Story.' The space ranger 'Buzz' in Toy Story was modeled after Aldrin. The name Buzz in Toy Story is also taken from Buzz Aldrin's real name. After learning that Buzz in Toy Story was modeled after him, Aldrin underwent rehabilitation, successfully quit drinking, and experienced a second prime in his life.
He is now the last surviving astronaut of Apollo 11. Armstrong passed away in 2012, and Michael Collins, the command module pilot of Apollo 11, died in 2021.
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