“Like so many Americans I still vividly remember November 22nd, 1963. As an 8th grader in my small hometown of Bothell, Washington I still remember playing in our school’s marching band in front of a local elementary school when someone came in and whispered in the ear of our band director. He immediately stopped the song we were playing, asked us to pull out the music to God Bless America, and we began to play. Then there was an announcement that the President had been shot. It was stunning.
“I also remember going home and seeing my mom do two things that she never did, watch TV all day and cry. For me, it was the day the world got bigger than the small town I lived in. And from that day on, the Kennedy legacy of service was talked about often in my house. Those conversations helped instill in all of my brothers and sisters the knowledge that we have to be part of the bigger world beyond our own home and that we should work where we could to make our school, our community, and the world a better place.
“I think a lot of American families had similar experiences because I see it every day in the Kennedy legacy of service that lives on. From those who dedicate their time and energy to helping the most vulnerable, to those who strive to innovate for the next advancement in health or technology, to those who serve our nation in uniform as President Kennedy did, so much of the spirit of service for the greater good can be traced back to his words and deeds. I join with all Americans today in honoring his life and legacy.”
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