MONROE - It was a shock to learn early Wednesday that Sen. Edward M. Kennedy had died.
I heard the news at about 1 a.m., and I stayed awake until about 3 a.m., watching the news and listening to commentators talk about his life. When I woke up a few hours later, I turned on the television and watched some more.
Everyone knew he was sick and knew his illness ultimately would take his life, but it doesn't make his death any easier to accept.
I've written before about my admiration for Kennedy. I used to tell people that Wisconsin, in fact every state, had three senators in Washington because Kennedy was more than just the senior senator from Massachusetts. He was a national senator.
When he talked about an issue, whether it was health care or the war in Iraq, people listened.
Even if his colleagues didn't agree with his position on an issue, they still listened to what he had to say.
Throughout the day Wednesday, there were tributes and stories about Kennedy's effectiveness in the Senate. Because of Kennedy we have health care for children, Medicare, Medicaid. He helped pass the civil right bill in 1964 and the voting rights bill in 1965, as well as the Americans with Disabilities Act.
He was more than just one of the most influential senators in American history. He was a link to the past.
He was elected at a time when politics, to use a phrase from Robert Kennedy, was an "honorable profession."
For almost 57 continuous years, a Kennedy has represented Massachusetts in the United States Senate. John F. Kennedy served from 1953 to 1961, and then Ted from 1963 until his death Tuesday.
Over the next few days there will be tributes to him and there will be plenty of pictures of him with his brothers. They all look so young. It's hard to comprehend that John Kennedy was only 46 when he was killed in 1963, or that Robert Kennedy was only 42 when he was killed in 1968.
The story of Ted Kennedy is one of triumph and also of tragedy. And we watched it all happen. We saw it all on television and in our history books. Americans saw him laughing with his brothers and sisters at Hyanis Port, and they saw him walking behind John Kennedy's casket with his brother, Robert. They saw him give the eulogy at Robert's funeral, and they saw him give his niece, Caroline, away at her wedding.
He had all of the gifts his brothers had, a quick mind that always searched for more information, compassion for the poor and those often forgotten in our society, a talent for public speaking, and the admiration of millions of people.
He had one more gift. He had the gift of long life. We were able to see him grow older. And he was able to hear the tributes and accolades.
His brothers were honored and remembered after their deaths.
Ted Kennedy received the Presidential Medal of Freedom last month and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.
He heard the praise from his colleagues and ordinary Americans.
Like his brothers before him, he picked up a fallen standard and carried on.
Kennedy's life can be summed up by what he said in 1980 at the Democratic National Convention in New York.
"I am a part of all that I have met
Tho much is taken, much abides
That which we are, we are
One equal temper of heroic hearts
Strong in will
To strive to seek to find and not to yield.
For those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives and the dream shall never die."
- Brian Gray is a reporter for The Monroe Times. He can be reached at bgray@themonroetimes.com.
I heard the news at about 1 a.m., and I stayed awake until about 3 a.m., watching the news and listening to commentators talk about his life. When I woke up a few hours later, I turned on the television and watched some more.
Everyone knew he was sick and knew his illness ultimately would take his life, but it doesn't make his death any easier to accept.
I've written before about my admiration for Kennedy. I used to tell people that Wisconsin, in fact every state, had three senators in Washington because Kennedy was more than just the senior senator from Massachusetts. He was a national senator.
When he talked about an issue, whether it was health care or the war in Iraq, people listened.
Even if his colleagues didn't agree with his position on an issue, they still listened to what he had to say.
Throughout the day Wednesday, there were tributes and stories about Kennedy's effectiveness in the Senate. Because of Kennedy we have health care for children, Medicare, Medicaid. He helped pass the civil right bill in 1964 and the voting rights bill in 1965, as well as the Americans with Disabilities Act.
He was more than just one of the most influential senators in American history. He was a link to the past.
He was elected at a time when politics, to use a phrase from Robert Kennedy, was an "honorable profession."
For almost 57 continuous years, a Kennedy has represented Massachusetts in the United States Senate. John F. Kennedy served from 1953 to 1961, and then Ted from 1963 until his death Tuesday.
Over the next few days there will be tributes to him and there will be plenty of pictures of him with his brothers. They all look so young. It's hard to comprehend that John Kennedy was only 46 when he was killed in 1963, or that Robert Kennedy was only 42 when he was killed in 1968.
The story of Ted Kennedy is one of triumph and also of tragedy. And we watched it all happen. We saw it all on television and in our history books. Americans saw him laughing with his brothers and sisters at Hyanis Port, and they saw him walking behind John Kennedy's casket with his brother, Robert. They saw him give the eulogy at Robert's funeral, and they saw him give his niece, Caroline, away at her wedding.
He had all of the gifts his brothers had, a quick mind that always searched for more information, compassion for the poor and those often forgotten in our society, a talent for public speaking, and the admiration of millions of people.
He had one more gift. He had the gift of long life. We were able to see him grow older. And he was able to hear the tributes and accolades.
His brothers were honored and remembered after their deaths.
Ted Kennedy received the Presidential Medal of Freedom last month and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.
He heard the praise from his colleagues and ordinary Americans.
Like his brothers before him, he picked up a fallen standard and carried on.
Kennedy's life can be summed up by what he said in 1980 at the Democratic National Convention in New York.
"I am a part of all that I have met
Tho much is taken, much abides
That which we are, we are
One equal temper of heroic hearts
Strong in will
To strive to seek to find and not to yield.
For those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives and the dream shall never die."
- Brian Gray is a reporter for The Monroe Times. He can be reached at bgray@themonroetimes.com.
