Good Night, Fair Prince

Laurie Cohn

Mirror Contributing Writer

He is not killed when the body is killed.

-Bhagavad Gita

   In all honesty, JFK Jr. was not someone I thought about often. I had more of a fascination with his father and his uncle Bobby. I still break down crying whenever I see footage of them just prior to their respective assassinations. But JFK Jr. was in the news from time to time and I took notice. When he pulled off a secret wedding, beating the paparazzi at their own game, I remember thinking "good for you." He obviously didn’t want his wedding to become a circus with helicopters roaring overhead, like the Sean Penn-Madonna or Elizabeth Taylor-Larry Fortensky nuptials, and he got his way.

   Imagine his life. He was born into the spotlight and stayed in it until, and even beyond, his death. Becoming a public figure was not his choice. Think about how you would react to having every fight with a sweetheart and every failure on the evening news. If John Jones failed the bar, no one would care, but change Jones to Kennedy and it makes headlines. That he could maintain his great sense of humor while being followed and photographed every day of his life is proof of what a special person he was.

   Not often do you hear of someone in the public eye who’s universally loved. Before and after his death, innumerable people have said JFK Jr. was a regular guy, liked by everybody. He didn’t believe his own press. Some celebrities could take lessons from his behavior. He didn’t travel with an entourage, and he often took public transportation. How many nouveau stars would be willing to take the subway? JFK Jr. could have easily been a jerk, and in a way, he would have earned it, given the personal tragedy he suffered so young. We lost our president -- he lost his daddy.

   Since junior high ,I’ve had an interest in the Kennedys. I know lots about Rose, Joe Sr., their children, and the cousins. In my teenage years, I realized the Kennedy family is the royal family of America. And JFK Jr. was their, and our, prince. He was the nation’s first son, and we always wanted the best of everything for him. His death has left a void that no politician or entertainer can fill. There is absolutely no one to take his place. His princely role was unspoken, a link to days and people past with a contemporary twist, and a wide-open future.

   It never occurred to me he might eventually run for office. For him to get into politics would have been interesting, I suppose, but anything less than becoming president would fall short of his father’s accomplishment, and he was succeeding in his own arena. I remember when he was the "special guest" on the "The Tonight Show," coming on after Jerry Seinfeld, obviously a tough act to follow. JFK Jr. held his own, was witty, charming, and a far better guest than most performers.

   I highly disagree with reports that people are upset because the story has had so much media play. The public is not stupid, and all the way from Hyannisport to Santa Monica folks have been grieving because they feel a loss. Because he gave so much, and we took his privacy, the tremendous outpouring of love the nation has showered upon his memory is fitting. In a world where everyone is seemingly jaded and too busy too care, it’s refreshing to see honest emotions pouring forth.

   The sadness affects all ages, races, professions, and religions. Certainly everyone feels bad because it’s another grave catastrophe for the Kennedy family, and we’ve all lived through so many with them. The Bessette and Freeman families also have the country’s sympathies. But we also ache because three young and promising lives ended in such a seemingly senseless way. The "what if" factor makes our imaginations run overtime. New Yorkers are expressing their heartache over losing Manhattan’s #1 citizen with "We’ll Miss You, John" signs everywhere.