For most children, it’s a familiar scene.

The opening credits flash on the screen with a clay model of a Pittsburgh neighborhood in the background. The camera then takes us to a cozy living room as a slender, soft-spoken man walks through the door.

As he changes into a zip-up sweater and comfortable shoes, he sings his token tune.

“It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood, a beautiful day for a neighbor…”

Fred Rogers, creator and star of the Emmy-award winning “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” began his popular children’s show the same way for more than 30 years.

He was a morning staple for children across the country, taping 1,765 episodes until his retirement in 2000.

When his final episode aired on PBS in August of 2001, Mr. Rogers ended the show as he always did, assuring his child viewers, “I’ll be back when the day is new, and I’ll have more ideas for you.”

Last Thursday, Mr. Rogers died at the age of 74, losing his battle with stomach cancer. Children and adults alike continue to mourn the death of the gentle soul, who was one of the most influential individuals of the Twentieth Century.

Mr. Rogers was more than a television personality. He taught generations of children about sharing and loving their neighbors, and his appeal was phenomenal.

His show was simple, yet captivating. Mr. Rogers’ quiet demeanor kept the attention of children all ethnicities, whether they were tuning in from a mansion in Beverly Hills or a one-room apartment in Cabrini Green. He was an icon. One of my parents’ favorite stories involves a rare public appearance by Mr. Rogers. When I was just two months old, my mom and dad took my two brothers, both toddlers at the time, to see a $1 show with Mr. Rogers at the Auditorium Theater in Chicago.

At least 5,000 people packed the venue, and the noise of screaming children was almost too much for my parents to endure. My brothers, who were usually well behaved, were going nuts with anticipation, and then it happened.

Mr. Rogers took the stage, began singing “It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” and the entire room went completely silent.

Every kid in that room was transfixed by the man onstage.

That was the power of Mr. Rogers.

I remember watching “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” every morning as a child. My parents didn’t even have to watch me as I sat in my Wonder Woman Underoos, glued to channel 11 for another half-hour with my beloved “neighbor.” My favorite episode was the one where Mr. Rogers took his audience on a tour of a Crayola factory. Who knew watching machines melt wax into colorful crayons could be so fascinating?

I also loved the “Neighborhood of Make Believe,” a puppet kingdom that was only a trolley ride away. And I’ll never forget the most valuable lesson Mr. Rogers taught me — I’ll never go down the drain.

Sadly, Mr. Rogers won’t be back when the day is new, nor will he have any more ideas for you.

But his collection of timeless shows can still be rerun for future generations of kids to learn from.

In a world so full of violence and uncertainty, it’s comforting to know “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” always will be a safe place for children to go.