Buzz Aldrin
I never realized I was training for space travel when I was growing up. It just always made better sense to eat healthy and to be physically fit. When it came time to train for the Apollo launch it dawned on me that by always respecting my body, I was preparing myself for all of life's challenges.
Drugs weren't really part of my generation, but we knew about alcohol. We knew that the drunks on the corner lost their families and their jobs, and that they were going to die young. It scared us into doing things right.
Being shot up into space inside of a rocket had to be one of the greatest feelings I will ever experience in my life. The feeling of the speed and the rush in my mind, the power surrounding me from all sides, could never be created by artificial means. There are too many other "highs" in life that would be missed if you allowed them to be clouded by drugs or alcohol.
My generation knew nothing about illegal drugs. Our highs came from exercise, hard work and serving our country.
Space travel satisfies the insatiable curiosity of all mankind. Distractions like drugs and alcohol only hinder our ability to pursue the answers
Around the tenth anniversary of the landing, I had my own readjustments of a personal nature that I went through and I think it put me in a unique position to be able to judge what living with being on a pedestal means and the importance of being a good example. I have not had a drink for 20 years and I couldn't be happier. My life is better than ever.
