George Takei is reminiscing on his fondest moments with Nichelle Nichols.
The 85-year-old actor took to Facebook to share a heartwarming tribute in honor of his late “Star Trek” co-star who passed away due to natural causes at 89 on Sunday.
Takei took a trip down memory lane and recalled the moment he and his husband Brad Altman asked the actress to be their matron of honor in the 2008 wedding.
“When my husband Brad and I got married, we asked Walter Koenig, who played ensign Chekov on the show, to be our best man at the wedding,” he wrote. “We asked Nichelle to be our matron of honor.”
“In her characteristic fashion, Nichelle declared, ‘I am not a matron! If Walter can be best man, why can’t I be best lady?'” Takei recalled. “Noting that Walter’s ‘best man’ title implied the awkward title of ‘best woman,’ she was determined to be known as the ‘best lady’ to the guests.”
“I told her, ‘Of course you are.’ I’m sharing a picture here of Nichelle, with us, as ‘best lady’ on our happy day,” the actor noted alongside a carousel of photos of the friends together.
Nichols’ death was confirmed by her son, Kyle Johnson, Sunday with a post on her official web page. “I regret to inform you that a great light in the firmament no longer shines for us as it has for so many years,” he wrote.
“Last night, my mother, Nichelle Nichols, succumbed to natural causes and passed away. Her light, however, like the ancient galaxies now being seen for the first time, will remain for us and future generations to enjoy, learn from, and draw inspiration.
“Hers was a life well lived and as such a model for us all.
“I, and the rest of our family, would appreciate your patience and forbearance as we grieve her loss until we can recover sufficiently to speak further. Her services will be for family members and the closest of her friends and we request that her and our privacy be respected.”
He signed off the message with the classic Trek slogan, “Live Long and Prosper.”
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