A gift for my daughter from an astronaut

My daughter became very interested in the youtube videos posted from Chris Hatfield from the International Space Station. Well "interested" might be an understatement, she was more or less "obsessed". Well it just so happened that Mr. Hatfield was having a book signing not far from where we were vacationing and my daughter was adamant that we go.

The line up was ridiculous but we waited it out. Unfortunately by the time we got to the signing table my daughter was dead asleep in my arms. I woke her but she just smiled and said "Hi Mister Hatfield" and immediately went back to sleep (she's only six). Mr. Chris Hatfield was very gracious and took a photo with us (me and my sleeping daughter) and signed his book. Before he signed it I said "Sir, would you please do something for me. I need to know if we are alone in the universe"...he started to chuckle as if he was going to blow me off with a joke but I stopped him and said "Sir, my little daughter Jenny dragged me here because she believes in you. Please help me teach her the truth. From your experience do you believe that we're we alone in the universe?"...he stopped smiling and said "let me see your book"...he looked exhausted and sort of worn out from the hours of signing books but he scribbled something with more enthusiasm than I expected. We were then whisked forward by the folks controlling the crowd and I didn't even get to say thank you.

I didn't get to read what he wrote until the next morning. It said...

Jenny, you have a great dad and it was a pleasure meeting you both.

The answer to your dads question is "no".

I'll let him explain what that means.

Chris"

Thats a cool story

I have a young daughter myself who got a Shuttle mission patch from an astronaut, it is in a box somewhere now so I don't have it near, but the patch was for a mission that was classified, and doesn't reveal anything about the mission anyways, but I have spoken to a few astronauts, one from my home town, who gave the same answer about if we are alone. I already knew we aren't from experience though.

That really is cool, hope your daughter appreciates it.

a reply to: stargatetravels


She's too young to understand right now. I certainly appreciated it. I'm sure one day she will too.


Part of me wants to post the photos but...it' smy daughter and it's the internet and all....

I love that man!

a reply to: DwayneUSA


Hmmmm...you asked such a potent question and he scribbled something for you BUT you didnt read it till the next morning?

Sure.

I talk to NASA guys all the time they all believe in Aliens. One mission control guy said there are cities on the dark side of the moon that reach three miles high now they are ruins. He also said not to be afraid of aliens. They observe us . If they wanted to take over the planet they could do so with ease.

One nit. He spells his name "Hadfield" and he is a cool guy.

Good fathering, man. Kudos. He made some great videos of singing in space and sightseeing in space, you can share, she's probably already old enough.

originally posted by: texasyeti
I talk to NASA guys all the time they all believe in Aliens. One mission control guy said there are cities on the dark side of the moon that reach three miles high now they are ruins. He also said not to be afraid of aliens. They observe us . If they wanted to take over the planet they could do so with ease.

Sure you do. How was he supposed to know?

You have so much power as a dad now. "What was the question dad"...well daughter I asked him should you have sex out of wedlock " or " I asked him if there is anything more important than cleaning your room". So lucky.

a reply to: DwayneUSA

What an awesome story! Wow, that gave me mad chills and put an ear-to-ear grin on my face. How awesome is that?!?! I literally have not stopped smiling. What a special little girl you have, and he was right--she does have a great dad. S&F and tell your girl to never stop looking up!

a reply to: projectbane

a reply to: DwayneUSA


Hmmmm...you asked such a potent question and he scribbled something for you BUT you didnt read it till the next morning?

Sure.

Right...because he should have just dropped his sleeping six-year-old right there after hours of standing in line and read it. Of course, that's what great dads do, right? Why would he have thought there would be anything but a signature? I once worked a BTO reunion concert and they signed a photo for my daughter, who was only 2 months old at the time and it was so late by the time I got home and had to get back up an hour later to feed her, I forgot all about the photo for two days. Because that's what overly tired, hardworking parents do when other things take precedent.

When I finally remembered, I took it out of its sleeve and was surprised to see that they had all not only signed it, but wrote little inscriptions for her as well...and it seemed like they wouldn't have had time to do that in the brief moment they had the photo. Is it really necessary to be so nasty? What a buzz kill.

Amazing story and good parenting... S&F

It is interesting that my daughter is the same way, no matter of excitement, she was able to fall asleep when her clock tells her, where my boy, who is only 6 is just like me, too exited to spend time sleeping.

Of all youtube videos from ISS, but my kids dig this one... makes me wonder why...



Apparently, poop in zero gravity should be something awesome...

a reply to: DwayneUSA

Chris is my fav astronaut. I have watched so many of his videos , What a free spirit he is .

Ty for sharing !

Great question! To ask him btw .

I never witness alien life, and only few UFO stories seem's unexplained. Stories on internet are often far fetch and I need proof about them, and I have none....

Nothing to say that we aren't alone... So call this a belive when I say we cannot be alone in this universe. I'm pettry sure the answer to the question IS no.

We have responsability, we must fight for our futur, bring our children in the star. I won't let them fight ridicoulous wars for ressource when this universe contains everything our civilisation can dream off. This is my goal, this is what I work for. I got little in my life, no car, no house and often difficulty to eat. But, still, I'll push the science a little furter, and give the tool for our children.

You've done right, and the astronaut too. Thanks for your post OP, made my morning.

a reply to: DwayneUSA

Cool story, she'll probably cherish that book for the rest of her life! I'm sure it will be handed down generation after generation.

Very cool of him. Any chance you can take a pic of it and post it here? The note and signature in the book that is.

a reply to: DwayneUSA

That is REALLY cool the message he wrote. Doesn't matter if it's just his opinion, and whether that opinion is based on anything more valid than yours or mine, it's what he enabled in doing so. Current, and future conversations - not an answer fed to you or your daughter, more of a conversation starter. Awesome.

I'm all for ISS astronauts riding in small vehicles circling our marble.

But that's just it, circling our tiny itsy bitsy orb we.named with English, Earth.

This gentlemen has great accomplishment and respect him for his brave and exciting profession, but his opunion on.."is humanity the only species with advanced minds within the universal creation", means to me, just as much as a fish in a tank.

One grain of sand does not speak or represent the entire beach

Happy your daughter got to be in her heroes precense

Thank you... thank you for sharing this story. You're truely a great dad. This is why I love ATS. We are not alone!