I’m not crying…you’re crying.

Millennials and even people who are Gen-Z most likely remember Blue’s Clues, an insanely popular kids’ program that aired on Nick Jr. Cartoon dog Blue and her human Steve would uncover a minor mystery and solve it via a series of clues visible to Blue, her friends, and viewers at home (basically, everyone except Steve.)

The show launched in 1996 and went for nearly six years when out of nowhere, Steve exited the show to go to college, leaving Blue (and the viewing audience) in the hands of Steve’s brother Joe. The show didn’t have a lot of episode-to-episode continuity, so there was no buildup to his departure. One minute Steve was there, reading the mail, and then he was gone, like forever. Or so it seemed. That was back in 2002, and after Steve was gone, the show didn’t spend a lot of time addressing his absence. Joe (Donovan Patton) stayed with the show until 2006.

For many of those younger fans, it was a jarring loss, and hard to process. Rumors swirled that the actor (Steve Burns) died and he made several television talk show appearances to dispel the unfounded gossip.

On Nick Jr.’s Twitter page today, Steve appeared in a video, ready to talk about that sudden disappearance, addressing the impact it may have had on his young fans 19 years ago.

“You remember how when we were younger, we used to run around and hang out with Blue and find clues and talk to Mr. Salt and freak out about the mail and do all the fun stuff?” Burns said. “And then one day, I was like, ‘Oh hey, guess what? Big news, I’m leaving. Here’s my brother Joe, he’s your new best friend,’ and then I got on a bus and I left and we didn’t see each other for like a really long time? Can we just talk about that? Because I realize that was kind of abrupt,” Steve says in the video.

Steve, who in the video sports a striped green polo similar to the one he wore in every episode he did for the series, then addresses his now-grown-up viewers.

“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, right?” Burns said. “I mean, we started out with clues, and now, it’s what? Student loans, and jobs and families? And some of it has been kind of hard, you know? I know you know.”

Student loans are probably very much top-of-mind to his millennial fans. Just saying. Then, Steve goes for the emotional jugular, with a heart-felt thank you to viewers.

“I wanted to tell you that I really couldn’t have done all of that without your help. And in fact, all the help that you helped me with when we were younger is still helping me today, right now. And that’s super cool,” Burns said. “I guess I just wanted to say that after all these years, I never forgot you. Ever. And I’m super glad we’re still friends.”

The clip ends on a high note, with Steve saying, “You look great by the way. Whatever it is you’re doing, it’s working.”

This isn’t the first time Burns has reprised his role, and he recently appeared in some Nick Jr. on-air promotions in support of the 25th anniversary of Blue’s Clues. But the Twitter clip was his first time addressing the fans he left behind, many of whom expressed their emotional reactions on Twitter.

Blue’s Clues & You – Blue’s Clues for a new generation of kids – is now airing on Nickelodeon, and a new Blue’s Clues movie is due out some time in the near future.