Of all the astronauts, it is great he was the first one to walk on the moon. He did the perfunctory touring after it happened, but then he kept to himself for nearly forty years and did not try to cash in on it.

Contrast that to Buzz Aldrin who is about the biggest astronaut whore out there. The Apollo astronauts did not like dealing with him during the program, they derisively called him "Dr. Rendezvous." He lobbied hard to be the first one out on the moon and that did not sit well with the other astronauts. Neil Armstrong was the archetype American hero, quietly doing his job well without basking in glory.