It’s said you should never meet your heroes. Whoever said that is very wrong. I was proud to meet one of mine – William Shatner, better known to many as Capt. James T. Kirk of the Starship Enterprise. 

Yes, I know, Shatner is just an actor, accomplished enough to have starred in several major TV series, as well as a litany of other shows. To some, he’s the lead from the police drama "T.J. Hooker" or the quirky and hilarious Denny Crane from both "Boston Legal" and "The Practice." Or any of hundreds of other roles. 

But, to nearly an entire planet, he is Kirk. The original "Star Trek," or "OG Trek" as fans call it, had an ensemble cast. I don’t have to name them all. Nearly 50 years after the first episode, they are icons. But no person defines "Star Trek" like Shatner. No fictional character defines mankind’s quest for space like Kirk.

In 1966, he stepped onto the bridge of the USS Enterprise and brought space into American homes in a way nothing did until Neil Armstrong took those small steps on the moon. Oldsters (Ahem.) know it was a version of "Wagon Train" in space, hopping from planet to planet and adventure to adventure. First Officer Spock introduced us to another intelligent race – somewhat friendly, brilliant space elves known as Vulcans. And the Federation vessel even featured a Russian officer, a dream of global peace at the peak of the Cold War that seems just as far away today.

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With those adventures came other new races and new creatures – the warlike and honorable Klingons and their cute nemesis the tribbles. Or the violent reptilian Gorn, who Kirk outwits in a duel to the death, only to shock powerful aliens by showing mercy. 

Each week, the captain and crew built on that very human and American mythology, that mankind could not just reach the stars, but stride across them as we do deserts and oceans on Earth. His adventures showed him besting bad guys and romancing his way across the galaxy in classic heroic fashion. One alien princess ensorceled Kirk with Elasian tears, only to discover that his love for the Enterprise was more powerful.

Kirk was part Horatio Hornblower, part John Paul Jones and 100% American. He famously refused to believe in the "no-win scenario" and was awarded for cheating on an academy test to win an unwinnable combat scenario. History buffs could just as easily hear America’s first naval hero declaring, "I have not yet begun to fight." In an alternate Earth, he read the preamble to the Constitution to aliens who had garbled its meaning. It was a bold declaration of American values. In another, he fought side by side with Abraham Lincoln in a test of good vs. evil.

Lover, fighter, leader and adventurer, Kirk became the name brand for space science fiction. He and his crew carved a path across the galaxy that launched 11 spinoffs and at least 13 movies. (That doesn’t count "Galaxy Quest," which was a loving send-up.) There are fans who love other captains like Patrick Stewart’s Capt. Jean-Luc Picard from "Next Generation" or Capt. Benjamin Sisko from "Deep Space Nine," played by Avery Brooks. None inspire the decadal devotion as much as Shatner and Kirk. Together they remain united in our vision of the captains. 

I had the pleasure to meet Shatner/Kirk briefly at an enormous science fiction/fantasy convention called Dragon Con, which dominates Atlanta every September. Watching fans young and old line up and pony up (It wasn’t cheap, but none of us cared.) to get a photo was inspiring. The man in front of me agreed that Shatner’s portrayal of American heroism in an ever-nearer future set millions or billions to dream of the stars.

Nearly 50 years after the show first aired, people still want to see its star. That's testament to the show and its captain. You could tell the impact he had on the fans by the enormous smiles they had when they left.

Fans sometimes pit rival franchises against one another – "Star Trek" vs. "Star Wars" and such – but there is no true rivalry. By the time "Star Wars" was released in 1977, there had been two "Star Trek" series. Great science fiction authors like Robert Heinlein or Issac Asimov wrote in depth about mankind’s future. Kirk and crew helped put the vision of the stars into our homes and our hearts.

Shatner just had a brief health issue that landed him in the hospital. At 94, he is still as Shatner as ever, posting on his Instagram account: "Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated." He blamed the issues on his own actions, saying, "I over indulged."

None of us know what the future may hold. "Star Trek" fans are usually optimistic enough to see mankind not just reach Mars, but become a spacefaring race. And when that happens, when Elon Musk or some other mega-dreamer plants our flag on Mars, I believe that cities will rise from the red Martian dust with names like Shatner and Kirk, testament to how we can turn our dreams into reality. When that happens, William Shatner/Capt. James T. Kirk – my captain and our captain – will finally have his name written among the stars. Where it belongs.

He earned it.