Jeff Erlanger

Erlanger's appearance on Rogers' show is featured in the 2018 PBS special Mister Rogers: It's You I Like. The special's host and former crew member, Michael Keaton, recalled Rogers saying his most treasured moment on the show was with Erlanger. Erlanger's parents were interviewed in the 2018 documentary film Won't You Be My Neighbor?.

After Erlanger choked on some food, he was in a coma for three weeks before dying on Sunday, June 10, 2007. He donated his organs. Debbie Friedman sang at his memorial service.

In 2004 Erlanger flew to Boston to attend the Democratic National Convention, although he did not have a ticket. Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk, whose campaign Erlanger had worked on, was on his flight and got him in. Falk said after his death, "Jeff was passionate about our nation on a big-scale level and equally passionate about our community," adding, "This is a man who devoted so many countless hours to making things better for other people."

In May 2003, Erlanger attended the memorial service for Rogers in Pittsburgh to honor him.

Erlanger's philosophy was summarized in a 2002 Wisconsin Public Television ad: "It doesn't matter what I can't do—what matters is what I can do."

Erlanger worked as an intern for Representative Tammy Baldwin and Senator Russ Feingold, who honored Erlanger in the Senate. Erlanger became very active in Madison politics, holding a number of significant positions in the community including member of the Economic Development Commission, chair of the Commission on People with Disabilities, and chair of the Board of Directors of the Community Living Alliance. In 2002 he ran for the Madison Common Council in the 8th District. He helped gain the accessible taxicab service in Madison today.

In February 2000 Erlanger made a random connection in an America Online chat room at the end of the day with a woman in Boston who said she was trying to kill herself. She said she had "cut herself and blood was going down her arms." Unsure if it was a hoax, Erlanger decided to take action, but his phone was in use with the computer modem. He went to his building's lobby to call the police in Madison and Boston, and then AOL to help with the rescue. Boston police found the woman, who had fresh cuts on her wrist, and took her to a hospital for medical treatment.

When Rogers was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1999, Erlanger was a surprise guest to introduce him. Rogers leaped out of his seat and straight onto the stage when Erlanger appeared.

Erlanger appeared in Season 11, Episode 4 (#1478), which aired on February 18, 1981. The ten-year-old showed Rogers how his electric wheelchair worked and explained why he needed it. They talked about his parents, doctors, recent surgery and what you can do when you're sad. Together they sang one of Rogers' popular songs, "It's You I Like". The two of them continued to communicate. In speeches Rogers gave, he told of Erlanger's example of "overcoming obstacles and feeling comfortable about yourself."

Jeffrey Clay Erlanger (November 30, 1970 – June 10, 2007) was an American advocate and activist for disability rights. He is known for appearing on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood when he was 10 years old, talking about his electric wheelchair and why he needed it.

Jeffrey Clay Erlanger was born in Madison, Wisconsin, on November 30, 1970 to Howard and Pam Erlanger, joining his older sister, Lisa. His father is a professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Law. When Erlanger was 7 months old, he was diagnosed with a spinal tumor. Surgery was used to remove it, but he was left as a quadriplegic. He received his first electric wheelchair when he was 4 years old. He required many additional surgeries while growing up.