At the eulogy for his nephew, John F. Kennedy Jr., Ted Kennedy once said, “A man should live long enough to comb gray hair.”

He was one of the few Kennedy males to do so.

One older brother, President John F. Kennedy, was assassinated in Dallas in 1963, and brother Robert was gunned down in Los Angeles in 1968.
His oldest brother, Joseph, died in World War II.

It seemed that Ted Kennedy would be destined to one day become the president, but the Chappaquiddick incident cut those dreams short.

On July 18, 1969, Kennedy and 28-year-old Mary Jo Kopechne left a party on Martha’s Vineyard. Kennedy, who was married at the time, drove off the side of a bridge into the Chappaquiddick River. He proceeded to leave the car, without Kopechne, who had drowned.

He then went back to his home in Hyannis Port. The next morning he called the police to report the crash.

As it later turned out, Kennedy had been drinking that night, and it may have played a factor in the crash. This, however, may have been somewhat of a blessing.

Because he was never a president, and instead served in the U.S. Senate for 46 years, he
was able to become the so-called “Liberal Champion” who fought for women’s rights, civil rights, and voters’ rights.

He was also at the forefront of health care for all Americans.
He spearheaded the need for the elimination of South African apartheid.

Before his death, Kennedy was one of the foremost advocates of President Barack Obama’s health care plan, a cause he had pursued for many years.

Obama said of him, “I knew him as a colleague, as a mentor, and above all, as a friend.”
Kennedy, it seemed, would never rest or be satisfied, as if he were living for his two fallen brothers. He was a close adviser and friend to both President Bill Clinton and Obama and advised them on important matters of state.

He was the iconic elder statesman, in office from 1962 to his death from brain cancer on Aug. 25, 2009.

He was hailed as “The last lion in the Senate” by his peers, and for the majority of his political career, he was a force to be reckoned with in the Senate.

He was a devout Catholic, and he raised his children to be the same way. In an article in Time magazine, it was revealed that Kennedy wrote to Pope Benedict XVI shortly before his death, asking the Pope to bless him and his country, and also to ask forgiveness for his sins.

The Pope wrote back, “I am very sorry to hear about your illness.” The Pope also said he would pray for Kennedy and his country.

Ted Kennedy was an avid baseball fan and could be seen several times throwing out the first pitch at Red Sox games. He also loved sailing, a hobby he had enjoyed since he was six years old.

He was devoted to family and became the patriarch of the Kennedy clan, especially to the children of his fallen brothers. Ted Kennedy was a true statesman, who we may not see the likes of for a long time.

He will be greatly missed by many Americans.