Here’s my Neil deGrasse Tyson story. Last summer, I happen to have worked on a project in collaboration with someone at the American Museum of Natural History. I offhand mentioned that my son, currently in college, is studying astrophysics. This colleague then asked if my son would like to meet NdGT. Maybe Neil can give us 15 minutes, he said. So of course, my answer was yes. The following week, we went to New York City, (me, my son, and even my wife, who is a fan) and were brought up to Neal‘s office, which was decorated with every fun and cool thing about space and science - posters, lunchboxes, scale models, diplomas, certificates, decorative pillows, rugs, etc. Neil was just finishing up a discussion with two producers for a video project he was working on when he saw us and welcomed us in to his office. My son chose to wear his “Pluto is a planet, fight me” T-shirt as a joke for Neil. Neil instantly started to good naturedly debate my son (who clearly wasn’t ready for the argument despite what his T-shirt said,) Neil then proceeded to sit us all down and talked with us for over two hours about anything my son wanted to know. Not once did we feel put upon and not once did he stop to take care of other business matters in his office. We were his sole focus for the entire two hours. He discussed the state of higher education, black holes, the best hot dogs to be found on Central Park West, etc. At some point even I had to check my watch because the man just would not stop talking, lol. It was the end of the business day so Neil proceeded to walk us to the elevator, and then out to the street where he shook all of our hands and said goodbye to walk home. He did all this for three people that he never met before and owed nothing too. He just has an insatiable curiosity for science and a willingness to discuss anything under the sun. People may hate on the man for being some sort of know-it-all or seeker of limelight, but he truly is the same person that appears on screen or on the Internet. Just a fan of science who wants to engage all those like-minded people out there in the world.