On Monday, the eyes of countless current and former children welled up sad-but-happy tears for Sonia Manzano, the actress who played Maria on Sesame Street for 45 years. That’s because Manzano told the crowd at her American Library Association address in San Francisco that she would be leaving the PBS show:
After 45 years on Sesame Street, @SoniaMManzano will no longer appear on the next season. #alaac15 pic.twitter.com/Jiz7tn9dAI
— American Libraries (@amlibraries) June 29, 2015
45 years working in television is a long time, but at the same program? That’s a helluva legacy, especially when it’s attached to a program as seminal and educational as Sesame Street. So you probably don’t have any trouble imagining all the tears that welled up in response to Manzano’s announcement. Hell, some of them were probably yours. Since the announcement was initially broadcast on Twitter, Twitter responded in kind as Monzano received an outpouring of support from her fans.
Most were endearing:
I hope Sonia Manzano is reading Twitter today and hearing from the generations of people whose lives she touched. Thank you for your grace.
— Jesse Thorn (@JesseThorn) July 2, 2015
Happy retirement to Sonia Manzano. Sonia and Loretta Long were the first people I saw on Saturday mornings as a kid. Thank y’all so much! xo
— Jenny Johnson (@JennyJohnsonHi5) July 2, 2015
.@SoniaMManzano aka Maria is moving on. Sad to know my niece won’t grow up w/ her but happy for her new chapter. http://t.co/3aav8KGL0x
— Robin Lord Taylor (@robinlordtaylor) July 2, 2015
I was 7 when Sonia Manzano started as “Maria” on #SesameStreet. She retires 45 years later. Amazing. Yes, TV legend https://t.co/Nvou6A5i4k
— Marcos Breton (@MarcosBreton) July 1, 2015
@paulfeig After 45 years on Sesame Street, Maria, (Sonia Manzano) to retire. And no mention in the trades. TV Legend. pic.twitter.com/SH3URq04xU
— Gabriel Velez (@Gabriel_Velez1) July 1, 2015
Thank you to Sonia Manzano, Maria from Sesame Street, for making the world a more loving, magical place for 45 years. :) She was a favorite.
— Shelly (@wolfnchiclothng) July 1, 2015
@amlibraries @SoniaMManzano Good luck on your future endeavors!
— Travis Kemp (@kemp_travis) June 30, 2015
You will be missed! Good luck “Maria!” @amlibraries @SoniaMManzano @npt8
— Linda Wei (@lweikelly) June 30, 2015
@amlibraries @SoniaMManzano Bye, Maria. Another remnant of my childhood going. 😞
— Anais Blin (@AnaisBlin) June 30, 2015
@amlibraries @SoniaMManzano Gracias por todo.
— Commander Joser (@ThatJoser) July 1, 2015
While a few were predictably goofy, albeit still rife with admiration:
Her name wasn’t really Maria? Was all my childhood a lie? RT @Gabriel_Velez1 After 45 years on Sesame Street, Maria(Sonia Manzano) to retire
— The Underachiever (@skater80) July 1, 2015
Maria!!! Sonia Manzano retires after 44 years on @sesamestreet!! #SesameStreet #maria @PBS https://t.co/vTxRab92q2
— Lucas Ross (@LucasRoss) July 2, 2015
Sonia Manzano, who is retiring from SESAME STREET after 44 years of playing Maria, was my introduction to Chaplin. pic.twitter.com/OXHdt4HHOQ
— Stephen Spoonatic (@Drangula) July 2, 2015
My very first crush is wrapping it up. Good luck @soniammanzano http://t.co/YHbJ6xrF2f
— David Wain (@davidwain) July 2, 2015
[Image via PBS]
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