'Star Trek' Actor Leonard Nimoy Dies at 83

Live long and prosper.

So says Mr. Spock, the human-alien first officer of the Starship Enterprise in sci-fi hit, "Star Trek."

It is with heavy hearts for the sci-fi community that the actor who played the beloved character, Leonard Nimoy, has died from the end-stage of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) at his home in Los Angeles.

He passed Friday morning at the age of 83.

According to the New York Times, Mr. Nimoy announced to the world about having the disease last year, and attributed it to smoking, which he quit three decades earlier. With this, he urged his fans to quit smoking to avoid getting sick as well.

Things, however, took a turn for the worst when he was hospitalized earlier this week as his condition worsened.

With news of his death comes a lot of mourning from fans all over the globe. Even U.S. President Barack Obama paid tribute to the actor, saying in a statement via Twitter, "Long before being nerdy was cool, there was Leonard Nimoy."

The U.S. Army Reserve also tweeted a photo of the actor in his younger years, when he served the Army, captioning it, "He lived long and prospered RIP #LeonardNimoy. A great actor and Veteran."

Mr. Nimoy's co-stars from "Star Trek" spoke highly of the actor. William Shatner, who played Captain Kirk said in a tweet, "I loved him like a brother. We will all miss his humor, his talent, and his capacity to love."

Nichelle Nichols, who played Uhura, also expressed, "He was a true force of strength and his character was that of a champion... Leonard's integrity and passion as an actor and devotion to his craft helped transport 'Star Trek' into television history. His vision and heart are bigger than the universe."

Although Mr. Nimoy was best known for playing Spock in the "Star Trek" franchise, it wasn't his sole passport to fame.

As Time Magazine pointed, the actor did live long and prospered with his many talents. He was a poet and a photographer. He did not shy away from the stage as he starred as Tevye in "Fiddler on the Roof." He was also a director, with films like "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock" and "Three Men and a Baby" under his belt.

Mr. Nimoy also seem to have summed up his life in the last tweet he posted, while still in the hospital a few days ago. The actor wrote, "A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP."