CAPE CANAVERAL – Apollo 11 moonwalker Buzz Aldrin was remarkably absent from a gala beginning a 50 year anniversary celebration of the first landing on the moon although his foundation was sponsor "

The organizers had not heard one way or another if Aldrin was going to attend the Apollo Celebration Gala on Saturday night at the Kennedy Space Center, but they were there. 9, waited until he was not present.

Earlier in the day, Aldrin contacted FLORIDA TODAY'S HUI to say he was undecided at that time.

FLORIDA TODAY received a statement on behalf of Aldrin later Saturday evening from Linn LeBlanc, chief operating officer of Buzz Aldrin Ventures LLC:

To my friends from the participating area at the ShareSpace Foundation tonight, July 21, 2018:

will not participate in the Gala tonight. Although I looked forward to, because of the current course of events related to my space initiative, also current legal issues related to the ShareSpace Foundation, I decided not to participate in it for the moment.

My current initiatives including the Human SpaceFlight Institute (HSI) in Houston, TX will evolve my innovative developments for manned spaceflight. These ideas, as well as subsequent innovations, which will be veiled by national and international academic institutions, will constitute HSI's contributions to space programs and the National Space Council.

In addition, I launched the 2018 Space Week Preamble, which includes events with my direct participation this week at the California Science Center in Los Angeles, at the Air Museum and at the University of California. space in San Diego, Florida, and Washington DC for the 60th anniversary of NASA.

As some of you know, I formed ShareSpace Foundation in 1998 for the promotion of individual space travelers. In my opinion, the Foundation is now used to promote very different goals. I was recently informed by a letter from my son's lawyer, Andrew Aldrin, that I should not consider myself part of the Foundation.

To those of you attending the Gala tonight, I wish you every success.

Buzz Aldrin

The absence of Aldrin occurs just a month after he sued two of his adult children and a former corporate director, accusing them to have misused his credit cards, transferred money from an account

Some weeks ago, his children, Andrew and Jan, filed a petition demanding their 88-year-old father. suffered from loss of memory, delirium, paranoia and confusion.

Andrew and Jan Aldrin, as well as the director of business, Christina Korp, were on the board of directors of the foundation and were to be at the gala Saturday night. "I've heard one way or another," said Jeff Carr, a spokesman for the foundation, Friday about Buzz Aldrin. "At this point, it is a little too late to include in the program.He did not reach out or let anyone know his plans."

For know more: Buzz Aldrin sues his family for fraud

Aldrin's ShareSpace Foundation is one of the sponsors of the annual gala, which raises funds for education space and scholarships of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation

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The black tie gala under a rocket Saturn V At the Kennedy Space Center, astronauts participate in a group discussion, award ceremony and space memorabilia auction. Tickets range from $ 750 to $ 2,500 per person

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A former concierge. A Satellite graduate who says that the story of NASA is also his story. Teachers. A restaurant owner. Through their eyes, we see how what happened in space in July 1969 changed lives in an iconic part of Florida.
Wochit and Britt Kennerly

The founder of Virgin Galactic, Richard Branson, is honored with an award. Walt Cunningham, Harrison Schmitt, Rusty Schweickart and Tom Stafford represented the former Apollon astronauts

Aldrin, along with Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins, were part of the Apollo 11 mission that allowed the first two humans to land on the moon. June 20, 1969.

In Aldrin's lawsuit, the former astronaut asked a judge to remove Andrew Aldrin from control of his financial affairs, his social media accounts, and several business-to-business non-profit and commercial. Andrew Aldrin had been trustee of his father's trust. Buzz Aldrin said in the complaint that despite the revocation of the power of attorney that he had given to his son, Andrew Aldrin continued to make financial decisions for him.

The eldest son of Aldrin, James, is not involved in the legal battle.

In a statement released last month, Andrew and Janice Aldrin said that they were saddened by the "unjustifiable" lawsuit.

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