Dec. 8, 1964 - Senator Edward M. Kennedy had a surprise for his father this afternoon. When Joseph P. Kennedy emerged from an elevator at New England Baptist Hospital, his son greeted him. The Senator, using a cane, had walked from his room to the elevator, a distance of about 25 yards.
The former ambassador, confined to a wheelchair since suffering a stroke in 1961, went to the hospital before leaving for his winter home at Palm Beach, Fla. Along the way, he planned to stop in New York to visit his other son, Senator-elect Robert F. Kennedy.
The father was so elated at the sight of his son walking unaided, his eyes filled. Then the two went to the Senator’s room and later moved to a porch. The visit lasted 45 minutes.
The elder Kennedy was accompanied by his nice, Ann Gargan, and a nurse, Mrs. Rita Dallas of West Palm Beach. He flew from Hyannis Port, the family’s summer home, and stopped at Logan Airport for the trip to the hospital.
A spokesman for the family said Senator Kennedy planned to leave the hospital within 10 days and join his father in Florida later this month. He took his first steps last week and has been removed from an orthopedic frame and transferred to a regular hospital bed.
He continued to show progress today, according to the hospital, and has been able to spend longer periods walking. The Senator also spends more time sitting in a chair, dictating correspondence, and handling other work.
Support this project at patreon.com/realtime1960s
Comments