Did Teddy Kennedy Jr. speak at his fathers funeral today?
My name is Ted Kennedy Jr., a name I share with my son, a name I shared with my father. Although it hasn’t been easy at times to live with this name, I’ve never been more proud of it than I am today. Your Eminence, thank you for being here. You’ve graced us with your presence. To all the musicians who have come here, my father loved the arts and he would be so pleased for your performances today. My heart is filled. And I first want to say thank you. My heart is filled with appreciation and gratitude to the people of Massachusetts, my father’s loyal staff, who — in many ways my dad’s loss is just as great for them as it is for those of us in our family. And to all of my father’s family and friends who have come to pay their respects. Listening to people speak about how my father impacted their lives and the deep personal connection that people felt with my dad has been an overwhelming emotional experience. My dad had the greatest friends in the world. All of you here are also my frien
TED KENNEDY JR., the eldest son: “When I was 12 years old, I was diagnosed with bone cancer. And a few months after I lost my leg, there was a heavy snowfall over my childhood home outside of Washington, D.C. And my father went to the garage to get the old Flexible Flyer and asked me if I wanted to go sledding down the steep driveway. “And I was trying to get used to my new artificial leg. And the hill was covered with ice and snow. And it wasn’t easy for me to walk. And the hill was very slick. And as I struggled to walk, I slipped and I fell on the ice. And I started to cry and I said, `I can’t do this.’ I said, `I’ll never be able to climb up that hill.’ “And he lifted me up in his strong, gentle arms and said something I will never forget. He said, `I know you can do it. There is nothing that you can’t do. We’re going to climb that hill together, even if it takes us all day.’ “Sure enough, he held me around my waist and we slowly made it to the top. And you know, at age 12 losing y
Ted Kennedy Jr. has saluted his fallen father as his greatest source of love and encouragement through tough times. The younger Kennedy, who lost a leg from cancer at the age of 12, stood before hundreds of mourners Saturday to memoralize Sen. Edward Kennedy at a funeral Mass in Boston. Kennedy’s son said, “Although it hasn’t been easy at times to live with this name, I’ve never been more proud of it than I am today.” Sources: http://www.google.
