Beamed Up....One Last Time.

James "Scotty" Doohan

1930 - 2005

In a strange twist of irony, just a few hours after writing the previous entry, Bling Me Up Scotty, I heard the news of James Doohan's death. I guess The Chief Engineer in the sky needed him to prevent an overload of the impulse engines that only he could fix. He was good like that... and so James Doohan and all his bright light bodies were transported upwards one final time.

Unless you've been living in a hole in the middle of Greenland without electricity for the last thirty years years then you'l know it's a very melancholy day for Trek fans everywhere.

James Doohan portrayed Montgomery "Scotty" Scott, the chief engineer aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise, in the original Star Trek series. He passed away on July 20, 2005 at his home. His wife Wende was at his side. He asked to have his ashes sent into space.

Isn't it weird when the death of an actor can move you to tears? I've even surprised myself as I've shed a few today as I've remembered James Doohan. I've been thinking about that scene in the fan documentary "Trekkies" where James is asked about some of the most incredible experiences he'd had through his association with Star Trek. He described a certain fan whom he'd corresponded with over many years. It turned out that it was solely due to his letters and the meetings at conventions that had kept that person from killing killing themselves, but he only found out about it years later when he received a letter from that person telling him what a source of strength those contacts had been. A small act of kindness on his part had kept that person alive all those years.

When he told the story you could see how touched he was that he could have that sort of an effect on people's lives, and he was well known at the conventions as one of the people from the cast they could count on to sit for hours signing autographs for free and getting to know the fans. He was awarded an honorary Engineering Degree by the Milkwukee State College when they did a poll of the engineering students one year and 50% of the students said that they had taken up engineering because of his character on Star Trek. What a legacy, and that's not even mentioning how brilliant he was to watch on screen. I think most fans of the show would agree that he was the most loved character in the cast.

I'm half Scottish so I might be slightly biased, but I loved Scotty's dry wit, big-heartedness, sense of adventure, his inability to give up no matter what the odds, and of course, what girl can resist a guy who knows his way around a warp core? I have a feeling he was probably like that in real life too (even though he was actually Canadian and didn't really fly starships).

And to complete this picture, his death co-incided with the 30th anniversary of those first footsteps on the moon. It was also the same day that the team who've been frantically trying to fix the Space Shuttle finally made a breakthrough and announced that they'll soon be ready for take-off. Co-incidence? I don't believe in coincidences.

I'll be helping to send James and "Scotty" off in style with a lit candle and a big-time Vintage Trek fest in my loungeroom sometime this weekend. Please include his family in your prayers over the next few days, and may you rest in peace James.We salute you.