It was a dark day back in 2002 when Steve Burns decided to abruptly pack his bags and say farewell to a blue dog and all the children that grew up watching him.
An era of Blue’s Clues was officially over, leaving so many young fans confused and devastated.
Steve was known for his striped green shirt, his adventures with Blue and his room of cartoon furniture. For six formative years, the then 20-something-year-old was a huge part of his little viewers’ lives, and now, 25 years later, those tiny tots have grown into full-fledged adults.
His fans now have children of their own, full-time jobs and major responsibilities. But, despite years passing, they still have questions.
They still wonder why Steve left them hanging for so many years.
To mark Blue’s Clues 25th anniversary, Nick Jr shared a video on Twitter, which made sure there wasn’t a single dry eye in the house.
It was Steve. Wearing his famous striped rugby shirt, he addressed his now-adult viewers in character.
Speaking about his sudden exit almost two decades ago, he said, “I realise that was kind of abrupt. I just kind of got up and went to college. And that was really challenging, by the way, but great because I got to use my mind and take a step at a time, and now I literally am doing many of the things that I wanted to do.”
But what really tugged on the heartstrings was when he praised those watching, saying: “And then look at you, and look at all you have done and all you have accomplished in all that time. And it’s just — it’s just so amazing.”
Life was easier as a child, and Steve’s reappearance struck a chord, as it provided a sense of comfort you only felt when you were young.
Steve made sure to acknowledge the difficulties people face while growing up and attempting to navigate through life.
“We started out with clues, and now, it’s what? Student loans and jobs and families?” he said. “And some of it has been kind of hard, you know? I know you know.”
He concluded by thanking his lifelong fans, saying their support helped him throughout his own journey.
“I guess I just wanted to say, after all these years, I never forgot you. Ever,” he said.
Well, Steve, we never forgot you either. It was good to see you again, friend.
