Buzz Aldrin, a former astronaut, marries for the fourth time on his 93rd Birthday. He became the second human being to walk on the moon, which was almost half a century ago. He is the only astronaut alive from Apollo 11.
Aldrin has been in the news again, not because of his spaceship or space walk but for marrying his long-time girlfriend on his 93rd birthday. He took to Twitter to announce the news of his marriage.
On my 93rd birthday & the day I will also be honored by Living Legends of Aviation I am pleased to announce that my longtime love Dr. Anca Faur & I have tied the knot.We were joined in holy matrimony in a small private ceremony in Los Angeles & are as excited as eloping teenagers pic.twitter.com/VwMP4W30Tn
— Dr. Buzz Aldrin (@TheRealBuzz) January 21, 2023
Who is Dr Buzz Aldrin?
Dr Buzz Aldrin was born on January 20, 1930, in Glen Ridge, New Jersey. His real name being Edwin Eugene Aldrin Jr. In 1951, he graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in mechanical engineering. He attained third position among all.
Family
As disclosed earlier, Buzz Aldrin’s official name is Edwin Eugene Aldrin Jr. His father, Edwin Eugene Aldrin, was an Army aviator during World War 1. In 1928, his father left Army and became an executive at Standard Oil.
Aldrin had two sisters, Madeleine who was four years older and Fay Ann, who was a year and a half older.
His father passed away on December 28, 1974 from heart attack. Aldrin struggled with clinical depression and alcoholism during this phase.
Career
Buzz went on to join the United States Air Force as a jet fighter. He joined during the Korean War where he flew 66 combat missions and shot down two MIG-15 aircrafts.
Later, he went on to study Doctor of Science degree in astronautics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was selected as a member of NASA’s Astronaut Group 3. This selection made him the first astronaut with a doctoral degree.
His first flight in space was in 1966 on Gemini 12. Three years later, he stepped on moon, 19 minutes after Neil Armstrong for which he has also received Presidential Medal of Freedom. Also, he became the first person to hold a religious ceremony on The Moon as he secretly took communion.
If you look closely at the picture, you will see a reflection of another astronaut taking the picture. This clarifies that Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon as first and second respectively.
Buzz resigned from NASA in 1971 and joined US Air Force Test Pilot School as a Commandant. In 1972, he retired from the Air Force.
In 2018 Aldrin founded a non-profit institution called the Human SpaceFlight Institute.
Personal Life
Aldrin has been married four times as of now. His first marriage was to Joan Archer on December 29, 1954. He has three children from his first marriage, named James, Janice, and Andrew. They parted ways in 1974.
His second marriage was on December 31, 1975, to Beverly Van Zile, but they filed for divorce in 1978.
His third marriage was on February 14, 1988, to Lois Driggs Cannon. Lois asked for 50 percent of their $475,000 bank account, $9,500 a month, and 30 percent of his annual income, estimated at $600,000.
The fourth marriage of Buzz Aldrin is the most recent. On January 20, 2023, his 93rd birthday, he married Dr. Anca Faur, 63 years old, in a closed ceremony.
Who is Anca Faur?
Dr. Anca Faur was born on May 14, 1959. She did her graduation from the University of Pittsburgh and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering and Catalysis in 1996.
She started her career as a Project Leader at Union Carbide and worked there for three years.
Anca later joined Johnson Matthey Fuel Cells as a Project Manager, where she worked for 20 years.
In 2019, she joined Aldrin’s company Buzz Aldrin Venture Company, as Executive Vice President.
See Also: Is Amanda Balionis Married? Her Age, Husband, Net Worth, Bio, and Key Facts
Fun Facts about Buzz Aldrin
Not many people know that Buzz has also appeared on-screen for various projects. We have accumulated a list for you.
| Film and television roles | ||
| Year | Title | Notes |
| 1976 | The Boy in the Plastic Bubble | TV movie |
| 1986 | Punky Brewster | episode “Accidents Happen”, March 9, 1986 |
| 1989 | After Dark | Extended appearance on British discussion program, with among others Heinz Wolff, Jocelyn Bell Burnell and Whitley Strieber |
| 1994 | The Simpsons | Episode: “Deep Space Homer”. Aldrin accompanies Homer Simpson on a trip into space as part of NASA’s plan to improve its public image |
| 1997 | Space Ghost Coast to Coast | Episodes: “Brilliant Number One” and “Brilliant Number Two” |
| 1999 | Disney’s Recess | Episode: “Space Cadet” |
| 2003 | Da Ali G Show | 2 episodes |
| 2006 | Numb3rs | Episode: “Killer Chat” |
| 2007 | In the Shadow of the Moon | Documentary |
| 2008 | Fly Me to the Moon | |
| 2010 | 30 Rock | Episode: “The Moms” |
| 2010 | Dancing with the Stars | 2nd eliminated in season 10 |
| 2011 | Transformers: Dark of the Moon | Aldrin explains to Optimus Prime and the Autobots that Apollo 11’s top secret mission was to investigate a Cybertronian ship on the far side of the Moon whose existence was concealed from the public. |
| 2011 | Futurama | Episode: “Cold Warriors” |
| 2012 | Space Brothers | |
| 2012 | The Big Bang Theory | Episode: “The Holographic Excitation” |
| 2012 | Mass Effect 3 | Aldrin played a stargazer who appears in the video game’s final scene |
| 2015 | Jorden runt på 6 steg | Successfully tested six degrees of separation |
| 2016 | The Late Show with Stephen Colbert | I was interviewed and took part in a skit |
| 2016 | Hell’s Kitchen | Dining room guest and had his dinner cooked by the blue team due to their team challenge win |
| 2017 | Miles from Tomorrowland | Guest stars in an episode |
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What did Aldrin leave on the moon?
An Apollo 1 mission patch
2. Who was the last man on the moon?
Eugene Andrew Cernan
3. Is Buzz Aldrin related to the Toy Story character Buzz Lightyear?
Yes. Buzz Aldrin inspires the character’s name.
4. How old is Anca Faur?
She is 63 years old as of today.
5. Can we see flag on the moon?
No
6. Who is the only human whose remains are on the moon?
Gene Shoemaker, the founder of Astrology, is the only human whose ashes are buried on the moon.
7. How much do astronauts get paid?
NASA pays between $104,898 to $161,141 per year
Synopsis
Buzz Aldrin is the second man in the world who stepped on the moon, precisely 19 minutes after Neil Armstrong. He is a former astronaut and fighter pilot. Most recently, he has been in the news for marrying for the fourth time his long-time girlfriend, Dr. Anca Faur, for at the age of 93.
Aldrin’s life has been exciting. You could even make a blockbuster movie about his life, as many have tried in Hollywood. Also, numerous authors have written biographies, chapters, or incidents from his life. He himself has appeared in many such projects.
An exceptional student, quick learner, empathetic, unprecedented Air Force pilot, and out-of-the-ordinary astronaut. He has excelled in all spheres of his life.
Buzz and Anca have certainly proved that love can happen at any age. It’s never too late to find someone.
