^ is Ctrl
Alt is the alt/option key
Alt+F/B - Forward/Backward Word
^P - Prev command
^N - Next command
^XX - Toggle between beginning of line & current cursor positions
Alt+F/B - Forward/Backward Word
Alt+T/Esc+T - Swap current word with prev
^L - Clear screen
^H/^D - Backspace / Forward Delete Character
^W - Delete/Cut word before cursor
^K - Delete/Cut till End of Line
^U - Delete/Cut Line Before cursor
^Y - Paste last cut
Alt+U/L - UPPER/lower case word after cursor
^- - Undo
^Z - Stop the current process and send it to the background.
As a kid I thought it was a pseudonym. I did at some point wonder, what he went on to build. Your description of what he was going through, makes me hope that his memory will be well honored.