15 years - Where were you?

[redBoobergurl]

I was about 9 years old in 3rd grade when Jim Henson died. I remember we had been remodling my parents' house and therefore had to watch t.v. in their bedroom at the time. We didn't hear anything about it until we gathered in to watch the evening news and there it was. I remember being just in shock and thinking that nothing would go on. I had just kind of reached the age where I didn't watch Sesame Street anymore because it wasn't "cool" although I secretly still loved it and I was so worried that something would happen to Kermit and Ernie and all the characters that I loved. I also remember being somewhat confused as to how he died, because they said he had pnemonia and with the AIDS epidemic at the time and so many AIDS patients losing battles with pnemonia I thought maybe that is what he had. I was kind of young and stupid I guess, in the days that followed it was cleared up for me. I also remember watching coverage on Entertainment Tonight and all these kids were writing letters asking if Big Bird would be ok and things like that and just being so sad. The worst was when I saw the cover of Time (I think) with Kermit hugging the directors chair and looking sad. I just lost it in the middle of the supermarket and my mom had to take me home. I remember watching the tribute that aired and it helped me feel better because I saw that the Muppets would go on, although they'd never be the same. Jim was amazing and I will be thinking of him all day.

 

[SCOOTER_101]

I remember I was getting ready to watch Fraggle Rock that night on TNT. It was on at 6:30pm back then. And this thing came on the screen with Jim Henson's picture on it. And it said "Jim Henson, We'll miss you" and I thought "oh mabye he went on a vacation or something and won't be around for a month or so" then later I found out the horrible truth I was devestated. I thought there would be no more Sesame Street it was awful

 

[Convincing John]

I Remember...

I was in junior high and I didn't even know that he had died until the news came on that evening. I remember trying to eat supper, but couldn't...it just tasted bitter. I remember thinking "Why?" over and over again, trying to fathom that Jim was gone.

I guess what's frustrating the most is that I never got to meet him, or at least write to him. (Shrug) I just wanted to say thanks and tell him how much his work meant to me. That's all.

After fifteen years, that's still the same thought I have about Jim Henson...I'm sad he's gone, of course, but what bothers me the most is that I never got to say "thanks".

A lot of us have probably daydreamed about what we could talk to Jim about (if it were possible). There's some of us who'd hop up and down in front of Jim like Wembley Fraggle loaded full of caffeine, wanting to audition as a puppeteer. Some of us would beg for an autograph and ask him "Do Kermit's voice, please???"

If Jim were alive today, and if I had the chance to talk to him (or write him a letter), I wouldn't want to bug him with a lot of questions. Instead, I'd try to make him laugh by telling him funny stuff that's happened to me and my family over the years, whether it was Muppet related or not. My point being is this: Jim Henson has always made me laugh and feel good about myself. I say, why not return the favor? I know there's stuff I could tell him that he'd probably find hilarious.

If it's true that sometimes those who have passed on can still see the world of the living, then I bet Jim got a good laugh out of when my family and I went to see some of the Muppets on exhibit. There I was with a camcorder, zooming in on every little speck of foam and feather in the place, practically leaving eyeball prints on the glass cases to get a better look. As I gawked at everything, hardly blinking for fear I might miss something, I imagined Jim strolling along behind me. He'd be chuckling as this obsessed nut in a Kermit t-shirt let his jaw drop in awe while gazing at an original La Choy Dragon sketch. The commentary on that tape is nice and "coherent", too:

"wha---guh....bu.....DOOZERS! They got Dooz---GASP! Original Brian Froud sketches! Oh...man....ohhhhhh....maaaannnn....WOAH! Dr. Teeth! Dr. Teeth! Zoom button, zoom button, where's the...there we go...Dr. Teeth! WOW! I can't BELIEVE this! Dr. Teeth..."

So, yeah, I'm sad he's gone, too. But I'm just a fan. There's other folks who have posted here (Terry Angus, Karen Prell and Jerry Nelson for example) who knew Jim Henson, and worked with him and who (to borrow a quote from Bob McGrath) "had a chance to be with him, and to know him and to love him a lot when he was here." I can't even begin to imagine how they felt when Jim Henson passed away.

If Jim Henson knows how much we miss him, and how much we care about him still, even fifteen years later, he'd be touched. If he can access Muppet Central from his cloud in Heaven, I'm sure he knows. Mr. Henson will always be alive in our hearts...and because of that, he will never truly be gone.

"He can't leave us...and we can't leave him! Maybe I'm not too late after all..."

(takes deep breath)

"Thanks, Jim...thanks for everything."

Convincing John

 

[zeldazipple]

I was 15 years old and at the height of my Muppet craze which lasted over 10 years. I was starting to collect videos made by HA. It was probably about 10 in the moring and I was home by myself when my mum came in and said. " have soem really bad news. I mean really bed. " I was expecting to here that one of my cats got runed over, but she said Jim Hanson had died she heard it on the raideo on the way to work and came home just to tell me. She knew how attached I was to him and didn't feel that was something I needed to be alone to find out about. Glad she told me first I was so devastated I was in shock for like 6months it really tramatized me. I got over it eventually but man that was a shock. I write to the Henson People giving my words of kindness.
My mothers old wrist watch stopped at excatly 1:21 AM on May the 16th and I wouldn't let her change the batteries in it. I kept it it for years.I think I recorded every news report and collected every article of his death.
We will always remeber you Jim. [/B]

 

[dbarrie]

On the day of his death I was in one of my high school classes (age 16). Somebody in the class whispered that Jim had just died, much to my disbelief. It wasn't until I got home and watched TV that my worst fears about him were confirmed. He had just appeared on TV with his WDW special, and now he was gone. Very shocking and sad. Hard to believe it's been 15 years since he left the world.

Yesterday I devoted part of the day to paying my own remembrance to him. I got out my DVDs and watched "The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson" "Time Piece," "The World of Jim Henson," "The Muppets at WDW," "Henson's Place: The Man Behind the Muppets," and a VHS copy of the Harry Belafonte TMS (reportedly one of his personal faves). I also played some songs from CDs that Jim made famous through his characters.

RIP Jim - we miss you.

OI MuppetFan

 

[Katzi428]

I was 21 when Mr. Henson died. I remember getting up for work & hearing on the radio that he had passed on. Needless to say I was in a bit of shock! I remember thinking "He can't be gone!"
(There's more about my memory of when he died in a post in "Muppet College Dorms". So if you want to read it there,you can.)



R.I.P. Mr. Henson

 

[T-Bird Chick]

I wasnt even born! Well Anyway, RIP Jim. We All Love You!

 

[lowercasegods]

I had just come home from school (I was in the ninth grade at the time), and my mom dropped the bomb on me that Jim was gone. I was too stunned for words or emotion. I just sort of froze. In fact, I don't think my shock ever really allowed me to properly grieve at all. I guess I made up for it when Charles Schulz died in 2000. I was a real train wreck then. But the weird thing was, the same day Jim died, just hours before I found out, I was sitting in my highschool typing class, and we were told to type out something regarding our personal heroes. I wrote about Jim Henson. Kind of eerie, really.

 

[Effralyo]

I second CJ. As always. And everyone.
I dunno how must we thank Jim.... :cry
To show it anyhow though, I drawn him on May 16th (and going to post soon). On the pic he looks at John last time before saying goodbye forever, and the smart fraggle says, "Farewell, Master". "Master" - that`s how, I think, all of the Muppets could call Jim always.
That`s all awhile. :cry :cry :cry

 

[Jonathan]

I was not born yet. But is it not weried that my mom found out she was pregnate with me the same day he died?! Well I'll miss you Jim, and Im sure your up in heaven right now, reading this