Here’s yet another reason to adore NBC’s hit comedy “The Office:” the show recently paid tribute to a young fan who passed away unexpectedly from the flu by airing an “In Memoriam” segment at the end of Thursday’s episode.
By all accounts, Nathan Robinson was a 15-year-old who loved math, music and The Office.
On Thursday night, Robinson’s favorite TV show paid on-air tribute to the Massachusetts high-school student who died March 14 of flu-related complications.
The in memoriam dedication appeared during the end credits of the NBC comedy’s 9 p.m. episode. It was accompanied by grainy home video of Robinson playing the show’s theme on the piano.
It appears the powers that be at The Office learned of Robinson and his rendition of their theme music after the Boston Globe ran a feature on the teen March 21.
The story noted Robinson’s love of everything from Beethoven to the paper pushers of Dunder-Mifflin. It also recounted how a few weeks before his death, Robinson and a friend got to talking about their favorite TV series. When the friend suggested Robinson, a talented pianist, take a crack at the show’s title tune, Robinson did. The resulting 32-second video, “Nathan Plays Piano,” was posted on YouTube the day after Robinson’s death.
The clip, which even after the Globe story ran could hardly be called an Internet phenomenon, was starting to head that way in the wake of its exposure on The Office. On Friday, the video was attracting thousands of views, and dozens of comments.
“I saw this while watching The Office last night, like everyone else here. And, like everyone else here, I was moved by it, so I just had to go on here and watch his playing,” one post said. “He was so talented…”
Said another: “Classy move by The Office to pay tribute to one of their fans. Rest in peace, young man.”
Kate, the friend who shot and posted the video—she didn’t want to disclose her last name—wrote in an email to E! News Friday that it was overwhelming to see people from all over reach out to Robinson.
“It was really amazing!” Kate wrote. “Nathan was such a fan of The Office, and he would have been so excited.”
I am getting teared up just thinking about this. How many TV shows have ever paid tribute to a fan like this? It’s pretty awesome. I can’t think of a single snarky thing to say right now, and that’s a big deal. Kudos to the producers at “The Office” for paying tribute in such a low key, heartfelt way.
This is the most touching tribute I’ve ever heard of – on Nathan’s part and that of The Office. Thank you for posting this.
Rest in Peace, Nathan. God bless your family and friends.
Wow. I can’t imagine how awful it would be to have a child die at 15. What an awesome way to pay tribute to a boy who passed too soon
That was beautiful and touching. Both the video of Nathan and The Office tribute. R.I.P Nathan, your memory lives on.
It’s just a shame that he didn’t get to see the tribute with his own eyes.
Is this a terrible flu season or what?
Awww, that really gets me. I LOVE The Office. How awesome of them to do that. I can’t wait until Thursday night and Nathan’s playing was awesome!
Rest in peace, Nathan.
damn i want to cry now…now i really love the office..
After spending the past three weeks moaning and groaning while sick with this year’s God awful strain of the Flu, I saw this tribute and thanked God for my good fortune. I am here and this poor, young man is not. It’s hard to believe in this day and age that illnesses like the Flue kill, but they do. I hope his family and friends are comforted by tribute and the sympathies of all who see it.
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