Randy Pausch talks to the standing-room-only crowd at Carnegie Mellon University in September 2007. The lecture became an Internet phenomenon and best-selling book that turned him into a symbol for living and dying well. (Pam Panchak / Post-Gazette via AP)
Pausch carries his wife, Jai, back to their seats after giving the charge to the graduates at Carnegie Mellon University’s commencement ceremony in May. (Bob Donaldson / Post-Gazette via AP)
Randy Pausch, giving a commencement speech to Carnegie Mellon students, used the attention he garnered to address the need for cancer research, appearing before Congress in March and filming a fund-raising spot for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. (Bob Donaldson / Post-Gazette via AP)