Bob Saget was not just a household name around America, but the epitome of kindness and humor. Saget tragically passed away in his sleep on January 9th, leaving a country in grief and shock. He was only 65. 

In 1987, Full House aired for the first time on the ABC Network. Though it started as just a sitcom, Full House soon set the foundation for American families. Bob Saget’s character, Danny Tanner, portrayed a single father who removed the stereotypes that weighed upon fathers in the 1980s. 

Before Full House, fathers of American television supported the “blundering dad” stereotype. However, Danny Tanner broke the mold by redefining what it meant to be a father. Instead of just providing financial support, Tanner provided his family with emotional involvement. 

Saget truly brought the character of Danny Tanner to life. Many of his fellow actors of Full House took to social media to express their condolences. 

Candace Cameron Bure, who played the role of D.J. Tanner, stated, “Bob was one of the best human beings I’ve ever known in my life. I loved him so much.”

Moreover, John Stamos, who played Uncle Jesse, cherished his friendship with Saget: “I am in complete and utter shock. I will never ever have another friend like him.”

Saget continued playing the role of a father in the series How I Met Your Mother. Although he never makes an on-screen appearance, Saget played an essential role in developing the narrative of the main character, Ted Mosby. 

Saget narrates the sitcom as an older version of Mosby, navigating Mosby’s life by reminiscing over the memories of Mosby’s younger years to his on-screen kids. Saget fulfilled his role of the narrator by delivering the iconic lines of the sitcom. 

“The wit, the wisdom, and, above all, the kindness fans heard in Bob Saget’s voice was no act. It’s who Bob really was,” said How I Met Your Mother’s executive producers Craig Thomas, Carter Bays, and Pam Fryman. 

Additionally, the show paid tribute to Saget in their spinoff series, How I Met Your Father. The premiere of the new sitcom ended with a title card that stated “In Loving Memory of Bob Saget.” 

Not only was Saget a great actor and comedian who thoroughly redeveloped the role of fatherhood in American television, but also he was an ardent advocate for scleroderma awareness. 

Saget’s sister, Gay Saget, passed away at the early age of 47 from scleroderma, which is an autoimmune disease that causes tissues to lose its elasticity. After the tragic death of his sister, Saget joined the Scleroderma Research Foundation as a board member. 

“Bob was the anchor of our SRF family. He worked tirelessly every day to educate the public about this disease and help raise funds to drive research forward,” said SRF’s director Joanne Gold. 

After Saget’s death, many of his fans paid tribute to him by donating to the organization that Saget held so close to his heart. 

Bob Saget had a great influence on America. Even though he has passed away, his morals and lessons live on. He taught the country that life is short, so it is essential to apply yourself emotionally and physically into the lives of family and friends. 

Jodie Sweetin, who played Stephanie on Full House, summarized Saget’s personality: “One thing I do know is that we never missed a chance to tell each other, ‘I love you.’ Every time we talked, there were at least 3 or 4 exchanged at the end of a conversation, whether it was text, phone call or in person. And he usually had to have the last word, ‘I love you more…'”