This week marks the 50th anniversary of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, perhaps the most perfect TV show to ever grace the airwaves. Even in this era of Atlanta and The Americans, Mr. Rogers still stands out as one of the few shows in television history to accomplish its goal every single time. That goal—teaching children emotional intelligence and to accept that they were special, that they had value, that they matter—isn’t nearly as easy as it looks. But Fred Rogers was a singularly gifted human being.
In the horrific aftermath of the Manchester bombings, Rogers’ famous quote about looking for “the helpers” flooded social media. It’s good advice, and seeing it inspired author and Entertainment Weekly writer Anthony Breznican to tell this truly wonderful story of the time he met Rogers.
