CNN posted an obituary of former astronaut John Young, who passed away last Friday due to complications from pneumonia. His list of accomplishments is long and distinguished, but there is one detail buried in his long resume that stands out, and marks him as a true legend.

Sure, he commanded the first space shuttle flight, and was the only astronaut to enter space in each of the Gemini, Apollo and space shuttle programs. But he was also the only one to secretly take a sandwich to the stars!

Young once told the Orlando Sentinel, “I was just lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time, and to get the opportunity to do it. It’s not extraordinary at all — anybody could have done it, I’m sure. You’ve just got to hang in there.”

He (probably) wasn’t talking about the time he smuggled a corned beef (!) sandwich inside his spacesuit during his first Gemini mission, with Gus Grissom (who has the honor of being the first astronaut whose biography I read in elementary school, right before I inexplicably read Francis Scott Key’s biography three times). But he probably should have been! Such a baller move deserves celebration and only elevates his status as a legendary spaceman.

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Space.com provided a little background on the sandwich incident, including some choice quotes from Young’s conversation with fellow astronaut Gus Grissom about it:

“Where did that come from?” Grissom asked. Answered Young: “I brought it with me. Let’s see how it tastes. Smells, doesn’t it?”

Grissom tasted the sandwich but quickly announced he would stick it back in his pocket because it was starting to break up. Young suggested the sandwich was “a thought … not a very good one.” Replied Grissom: “Pretty good, though, if it would just hold together.”

It doesn’t sound like it went all that well, but that’s not the point! The point is that Young was a pioneer in many fields, not least of which was the field of secretly transporting deli sandwiches to the stars probably as a science experiment but hopefully because he was hungry and no one tells him what to do!

In NASA Administrator Robert Lightfoot’s statement following Young’s death, he said, “NASA and the world have lost a pioneer. Astronaut John Young’s storied career spanned three generations of spaceflight; we will stand on his shoulders as we look toward the next human frontier.” Once again, the deli-based exploits are shamefully omitted.

But we at The Dad will do no such thing.

Neil Armstrong may have been the first man on the moon, but John Young is THE MAN for transporting a fucking meat sandwich into Earth’s orbit, with the express purpose of eating it! Sorry, but there’s no chance in hell Neil Armstrong would ever sneak corned beef to the moon! (What about Buzz Aldrin, you say? MAYBE.)

Godspeed, John Young. The world has lost a pioneer, indeed.

But that’s the great thing about beer, nay… America. We all have individual tastes. Just because some guy doesn’t share your affinity for a specific brew, that doesn’t mean he’s wrong (even though he is!) It just means you get to connect with someone with a differing perspective, while drinking beer!

So, if you see Jim in a bar, don’t make fun of him for his taste in beer. Instead, buy him a round, and make fun of his age – like an adult.

Cheers, Jim!

He takes a much calmer, more sympathetic approach to parenting than Lois. She has a short fuse, at the end of which is a barrel of dynamite eager to ground someone for the rest of their life. Hal, conversely, seizes any opportunity to bond with his boys by having a sit-down and doling out fatherly words of wisdom.

He’s far more lenient, but will raise his voice and put his foot down when necessary. He’s often creative in his punishments. For example, when Malcolm told him “[bleep] you,” Hal sat him down in the backyard and forced him to look him in the eyes and read aloud a comprehensive list of every vile swear words, teaching him their power.

His biggest strength, however, is his laid-back, often immature attitude. It serves as a refreshing palate cleanser for Lois’ incessant shouting. He is truly the yin to her yang.

DAD WEAKNESSES

He’s more permissive than his wife. In one episode, Hal surprises the boys by letting them skip school to accompany him at some stock car races.

Hal’s lax approach to parenting is, regrettably, his biggest weakness. His spontaneity and often childish behavior sets a bad example for his sons. Case in point: the steamroller. After winning some money on a scratch-off, Hal secretly rents a steamroller.

When Dewey catches him, Hal agrees to let him steamroll over Reese’s bike. Ultimately, Hal goes mad with power and Dewey must talk him down from steamrolling a row of cars. Surely this gave Dewey license to misbehave in the future. His impulsive nature is typically harmless, but still sets precedent for the delinquency of his kids.

VERDICT

Despite shortcomings at the cost of his need to be the parent his sons actually like, Hal is a great father. Sure, all four of his sons are rambunctious hellions, disobedient and destructive at every turn, but that’s predominantly the result of their stubborn, temperamental mother. He’s a big-hearted working stiff, determined to provide for his family however dysfunctional they may be.

FINAL DAD GRADE: A-

It’s been a long journey and no two days are alike. Through it all we’ve learned that Faye is just a younger, female version of her older brother. From her diagnosis, we were able to recognize the ASD traits in Jordan. He is now beginning the diagnostic process.

But long story short, both our girls now attend an autism unit in a special school. It’s a God send and they are both doing great! They turned 6 in August and Jordan will be 11 this December.

Be positive and always make sure your child gets all they need. Raising a child with special needs definitely puts into perspective what’s important in life!

Everything for the kids!”

– Nic Young

Want to share a story about fatherhood? Email fatherfigures@thedad.com

Aside from a small modification to the bike’s seat, he’ll be riding the bike as-is. “My knees clear the handlebars by about half an inch so it’s going to be really tight, but it’s a great bike,” he told the BBC. When he factors in his unique mode of transportation Peter estimates the ride from Bristol to Land’s End will take him a week to complete.

Ellie loved cycling and impressed her dad at age three, when she was able to ride without training wheels.

The bike he’ll be riding was her pride and joy – a present she received for her last Christmas.

So far Peter has raised £23,349 (roughly $30K US) through his JustGiving campaign, already doubling his £10,000 target.

What a guy! What a dad! Go, Peter, go!

If you’d like donate to Peter’s campaign, visit his JustGiving page.

If you want to learn more about where the money is going, check out The Brain Tumour Charity.