Mister Rogers.Photo: Mister RogersMister Rogersdidn’t shy away from addressing difficult topics — and 9/11 was no exception.Although the late television icon’s show was already off the air at the time, Fred Rogers' producers encouraged him to record a series of messages addressing the terrorist attacks, according toToday.However, Rogers — who lived part-time in New York City and was originally from Pennsylvania, whereFlight 93 crashedafter passengers were able to stop a hijacked plane from reaching the U.S. Capitol — initially struggled with what to say.“I just don’t know what good these are gonna do,” he said in a conversation with producer Margy Whitmer featured in the 2018 documentaryWon’t You Be My Neighbor?, perBiography.com.Ultimately, Rogers ended up recording four videos, which aired on the first anniversary of the attacks, according toSnopes. The videos ended up being the last Rogers filmed at the studio where he madeMr. Rogers' Neighborhoodbefore his death in February 2003.In one message aimed at parents, Rogers said that although it may be difficult, it’s important to have open conversations with children in order to help them feel safe.“Some parents wonder how to handle world news with their young children,” he said in one video, reportedToday. “Well we at family communications have discovered that when children bring up something frightening it’s helpful right away to ask them what they know about it.““We often find that their fantasies are very different than the actual truth. What children probably need to hear most from us adults, is that they can talk with us about anything. And that we will do all we can to keep them safe in any scary time,” he continued. “I’m always glad to be your neighbor.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free weekly newsletterto get the biggest news of the week delivered to your inbox every Friday.In another video, Rogers told viewers how proud he was of them.“I would like to tell you what I often told you when you were much younger. I like you just the way you are,” he said in the message, according to Biography.com.“And what’s more, I’m so grateful to you for helping the children in your life to know that you’ll do everything you can to keep them safe,” he continued. “And to help them express their feelings in ways that will bring healing in many different neighborhoods.”
Mister Rogers.Photo: Mister Rogers
Mister Rogersdidn’t shy away from addressing difficult topics — and 9/11 was no exception.Although the late television icon’s show was already off the air at the time, Fred Rogers' producers encouraged him to record a series of messages addressing the terrorist attacks, according toToday.However, Rogers — who lived part-time in New York City and was originally from Pennsylvania, whereFlight 93 crashedafter passengers were able to stop a hijacked plane from reaching the U.S. Capitol — initially struggled with what to say.“I just don’t know what good these are gonna do,” he said in a conversation with producer Margy Whitmer featured in the 2018 documentaryWon’t You Be My Neighbor?, perBiography.com.Ultimately, Rogers ended up recording four videos, which aired on the first anniversary of the attacks, according toSnopes. The videos ended up being the last Rogers filmed at the studio where he madeMr. Rogers' Neighborhoodbefore his death in February 2003.In one message aimed at parents, Rogers said that although it may be difficult, it’s important to have open conversations with children in order to help them feel safe.“Some parents wonder how to handle world news with their young children,” he said in one video, reportedToday. “Well we at family communications have discovered that when children bring up something frightening it’s helpful right away to ask them what they know about it.““We often find that their fantasies are very different than the actual truth. What children probably need to hear most from us adults, is that they can talk with us about anything. And that we will do all we can to keep them safe in any scary time,” he continued. “I’m always glad to be your neighbor.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free weekly newsletterto get the biggest news of the week delivered to your inbox every Friday.In another video, Rogers told viewers how proud he was of them.“I would like to tell you what I often told you when you were much younger. I like you just the way you are,” he said in the message, according to Biography.com.“And what’s more, I’m so grateful to you for helping the children in your life to know that you’ll do everything you can to keep them safe,” he continued. “And to help them express their feelings in ways that will bring healing in many different neighborhoods.”
Mister Rogersdidn’t shy away from addressing difficult topics — and 9/11 was no exception.
Although the late television icon’s show was already off the air at the time, Fred Rogers' producers encouraged him to record a series of messages addressing the terrorist attacks, according toToday.
However, Rogers — who lived part-time in New York City and was originally from Pennsylvania, whereFlight 93 crashedafter passengers were able to stop a hijacked plane from reaching the U.S. Capitol — initially struggled with what to say.
“I just don’t know what good these are gonna do,” he said in a conversation with producer Margy Whitmer featured in the 2018 documentaryWon’t You Be My Neighbor?, perBiography.com.
Ultimately, Rogers ended up recording four videos, which aired on the first anniversary of the attacks, according toSnopes. The videos ended up being the last Rogers filmed at the studio where he madeMr. Rogers' Neighborhoodbefore his death in February 2003.
In one message aimed at parents, Rogers said that although it may be difficult, it’s important to have open conversations with children in order to help them feel safe.
“Some parents wonder how to handle world news with their young children,” he said in one video, reportedToday. “Well we at family communications have discovered that when children bring up something frightening it’s helpful right away to ask them what they know about it.”
“We often find that their fantasies are very different than the actual truth. What children probably need to hear most from us adults, is that they can talk with us about anything. And that we will do all we can to keep them safe in any scary time,” he continued. “I’m always glad to be your neighbor.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free weekly newsletterto get the biggest news of the week delivered to your inbox every Friday.
In another video, Rogers told viewers how proud he was of them.
“I would like to tell you what I often told you when you were much younger. I like you just the way you are,” he said in the message, according to Biography.com.
“And what’s more, I’m so grateful to you for helping the children in your life to know that you’ll do everything you can to keep them safe,” he continued. “And to help them express their feelings in ways that will bring healing in many different neighborhoods.”
source: people.com
