Cape & Islands News

Kennedy statue unveiled in Hyannis

Ted Kennedy reminisced about slain President at dedication yesterday 

Special for cctoday by Solon Economou 

On Friday evening, May 25, the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Memorial Statue, sculpted by native Cape Codder David Lewis, was unveiled following a dedication ceremony on the Hyannis Village Green.  The statue stands before the JFK Museum.

The bronze statue shows a pensive JFK walking along the beach, with actual sand from the shore covering its base.

The dedication ceremony speakers featured many dignitaries including Louis Cataldo, Chairman of the Memorial Statue committee; Tony Speller, former member of Parliament for Barnstaple and North Devon, England; Congressman Bill Delahunt; and keynote speaker Senator Ted Kennedy.

Congressman Delahunt stated, "I'm here today because of Jack Kennedy...who inspired so many of us to public service, and I was one of those.  I have this incredibly vivid memory of meeting President Kennedy at an airport in Burlington, Vermont.  I was attending school in Middlebury.  It was one of those 'wow' moments.  You knew you were in the presence of someone very, very special." 

Senator Kennedy joshed Delahunt, who had slipped and called him "Jack," saying it was much better than the last time Delahunt introduced him, when he called him "our senior citizen" instead of "our senior senator."

Jack, we hardly knew you 

Senator Kennedy thanked all involved "for this magnificent statute which captures President Kennedy so well.  Cape Cod and Hyannis certainly were his home.  He learned to swim here, and then he learned to sail here.  The lessons that he learned here as a young person served him so well in World War Two, after the time when his boat was sunk and left him ten days behind enemy lines.  He was able to save two of his crew immediately and eventually bring all the crew together that were saved."

Kennedy said that his brother Jack "challenged us in so many ways, and that is what I hope this statue will do, challenge our young people...people do best when they're challenged.  Individuals do, our country does."

After a stroll to the museum, members of Boy Scout Troop 54 raised an American flag that had flown over the nation's capitol.  Then the statue was officially unveiled by sculptor David Lewis before Memorial Statue Committee members and visitors including Cape Cod's senior political commentator, Committee Secretary Francis Broadhurst; Dennis Chamber of Commerce Director Spyro Mitrokostas; popular radio personality Don McKeag; and Barnstable County Sheriff Jim Cummings.

One lady in the crowd remarked about Ted, "He's showing his age a bit, but he still sure is handsome!"  The Kennedy charm continues on Cape Cod.