Something I Wrote 5 Years Ago, And Post Every Year Around The Anniversary Of RFK's Death

[WillyT]

And, If I May, A Word Or Two About David Kennedy, RFK's Fourth Son...
Posted by WillyT in General Discussion (01/01/06 through 01/22/2007)
Tue Jun 06th 2006, 12:32 PM



David Anthony Kennedy died of a drug overdose in 1984, and has been kicked around ever since by the right-wing fascists who pull his name out of their ass anytime they feel the need to take the Kennedy family down a peg or two. But unlike the partying the current frat-boy in the White House was used to, David self-medicated to relieve himself of terrible personal pain. At least that's what I believe.

I met David back in the late 70's\early 80's at a local watering hole. My sister, who worked with him, introduced us. And although I may have been a back slapping, coke snorting, skirt chasing BMOC back then, David certainly was not. He was soft spoken, gentle, and would only smile, never laugh. He had the look of someone much older than he was. He liked to sit back and observe the comings and goings of others, and none of us EVER spoke the thousands of questions we had for him about his family. So it was with some shock and chagrin that I learned of David's story while reading a book on his father in the 1990s. Many people only know the second half of the story.

Early on the day of (or day before) his father's death, David and some of the other kids were down swimming at one of the beaches in the LA area. At some point David got caught in a rip-tide and started panicking a bit. When others noticed him struggling to get back to shore, his dad ran into the surf, swam after him, calmed him down, and showed him how to get back to shore. IOW - Bobby saved his son's life that day. And when you are 12, and your dad might be the next president, and he saves your life... well RFK's hero status with David must have gone up in orders of magnitude that day.

So it was with major sorrow that somebody from the campaign, or family (I can't remember which), found David the night of the assassination. With Bobby and Ethel downstairs thanking the crowd for their support, and congratulating everyone involved for an impressive victory in California, the kids were scattered in various rooms about the hotel. David was by himself, sitting on the edge of the bed, watching TV. He watched the results by himself, he watched the victory speech by himself, and he watched the man who had just saved his life, get gunned down right there in front of him , on the TV, in the very same hotel... all by himself.

When somebody finally realized, after ambulance rides, reporters calls, and a national freak out, that nobody had seen David, they went looking for him. They found him, still sitting on the edge of that bed, never having moved, eyes still transfixed on the TV set, in total shock. He was almost delirious, and somebody had the good sense to wrap him in a blanket, and have him checked by medical personnel. His 13th birthday would be nine days later. That Christmas he wrote,

"There will be no more football with Daddy, no more swimming with him, no more riding and no more camping with him. But he was the best father there ever was and I would rather have him for a father for the length of time I did than any other father for a million years."

RIP to you too David

Peace to us all...

Link: http://journals.democraticunderground.com/WillyT/4

:shrug:

[hedgehog]

1. The members of the Kennedy family deserved happier lives.

[BlueIris]

2. Nice. And a good reminder of all that was lost. nt

[northoftheborder]

3. Robert F. Kennedy. Would have been our greatest president.

[H2O Man]

4. Recommended.

Thanks for this.

[ejpoeta]

5. wow. thank you for reposting that. i have never seen it. and i am glad to have seen it

this time.

[WillyT]

7. You Are Quite Welcome !!!

:hi:

[Mike Nelson]

6. To have your dad, uncle, and/or brother...

...shot dead so suddenly, and again...
I admire the Kennedy family greatly, aspire their courage, and understand their behaviors.
So much to overcome, also much celebrate.

[terip64]

8. My first memory is of the night Bobby Kennedy was killed

I was four and my dad drank and he started yelling for my mom and I woke up. I slept with one eye open, if you know what I mean. I sat on the stairs with my three older sisters and watched my mom cry so hard that it scared me. My dad was rocking her and he looked distraught. It is an imagine that will never leave me.

It was just recently that I watched Bobby and when I saw the footage of that night I was right back to that staircase. My dad died 10 years ago this week, right before September 11. Until I saw that movie, I thought that my father would be shocked at what has happened to this country, but I realize that these bastards have been hard at work for years. I can't imagine the sadness that my parents' generation went through and the Kennedy family.

Thank you for this post.

[WillyT]

9. You Are Quite Welcome !!! - And...

as somebody said here before, in response to the OP... *paraphrasing* That bullet... caused way more damage than anybody could have realized at the time.

[terip64]

10. Sometimes I think my dad knew...

On his deathbed he keep telling us what a wonderful country this was and then he would whisper to me, "Darling, I'd feel better going if there was a democrat in the White House". I shared his love of politics and we could talk for hours. I can't tell you how much I miss him. I know he would never turn his back on this country and somehow he would give me hope. He believed in the people in this country.

The only silver lining to him not being here is that he doesn't have to see this shit. Although, he would have gotten a kick out of Newt Gingrich today. ;) Not to mention I need some help with my 20 year old son who is completely disheartened with the state of things. sigh

[WillyT]

11. Yep... My Old Man Died In 1975...

Taxi Cab Driver, Journalist, Marine in WWII and Korea, strong Democrat.

And although I miss him terribly, I'm glad he's not around to see the dump this country has taken on his sacrifice, and the sacrifice of millions more.

:shrug:

:hi:

[felix_numinous]

12. RFK Jrs movie "The Last Mountain"

is being released in June also, about mountaintop removal in WV. He has done much work to preserve our rivers too. What a great family, and what great pain they have gone through. I never knew this about David, thank you for honoring his life by passing on this article.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/rfk-jr-film-the-last-mountain-aims-to-make-mountaintop-removal-in-wva-a-national-fight/2011/05/30/AGfZjpEH_story.html

[WillyT]

13. You Are Quite Welcome !!!

:hi:

Peace...