As I am sure you all have seen, Mary Tyler Moore passed away earlier this week. People have been sharing what this legendary actress meant to them, so I thought it would be good for us to share our thoughts.

I was a fan of her for two reasons. I remember sitting watching the Mary Tyler Moore show with my parents. I am thankful they never said she was odd for being single, or discourage me when I would say at 5-6 years old that I wanted my own place like Mary or Rhoda (in my kindergarten/1st grade mind Minneapolis was equal in glamour to NYC). Her portrayal of a woman during a time when women were gaining new rights (such as owning property without a co-signer) was inspiring to many.

Second reason I admired her was for her tireless work for Type 1 Diabetes research through JDRF. Even while she was losing her sight from the disease, she was still working as an advocate for finding a cure.