It feels like every day this year gives us something else to grieve.

I’m well aware that, as we get older, the world inevitably takes a little more from us. It’s the nature of things. Those men and women who entertained us, inspired us and, in some small way, helped define who we became eventually pass on.

But with the death of Peter Cullen, my inner child feels just a little bit broken.

Peter Claver Cullen, who died on August 26 at the age of 85, was a Canadian voice actor whose career spanned more than six decades.

And what a career it was.

He was Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh. He voiced Monterey Jack in Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers, KARR in Knight Rider and Thaedus in Invincible. He even provided the terrifying vocalisations of the Predator.

But let’s be honest.

For millions of us, Peter Cullen was Optimus Prime.

He first gave the Autobot leader his voice in the original 1980s Transformers cartoon before eventually returning to the character for the live-action Transformers films and countless other appearances.

And I was one of those kids who grew up with him.

I’ve been a Transformers fan for as long as I can remember, and looking back as an adult, I genuinely think Cullen’s portrayal of Optimus Prime had an influence on the person I became.

Because Cullen’s Optimus wasn’t simply powerful.

He was kind.

He was patient.

He was compassionate.

He possessed enormous strength, but strength wasn’t what made him a hero.

Cullen based that interpretation on his older brother Larry, a decorated Marine who had served in Vietnam. Before Peter went to audition for the role, Larry gave his younger brother a piece of advice about how a real hero should behave:

“Be strong enough to be gentle.”

Peter carried that philosophy into Optimus Prime.

And an entire generation of children heard it.

That’s what makes this loss feel strangely personal.

There are going to be a lot of millennials tonight who never met Peter Cullen, but nevertheless feel like they’ve lost someone important. Because when we were children, that voice came booming out of our televisions telling us what leadership, courage and decency were supposed to look like.

The strongest person in the room didn’t need to be the cruelest.

A leader didn’t need to dominate those around him.

Strength and compassion weren’t opposites.

You could be strong enough to be gentle.

That’s one hell of a lesson to give a generation of kids through a cartoon about giant transforming robots.

So, Peter, thank you.

Thank you for Optimus Prime.

Thank you for being one of the voices of my childhood.

And, perhaps most importantly, thank you for playing some small part in teaching that little boy what kind of man he wanted to become.

Rest in peace, good sir.

Till all are one.