Today is the beginning of a new Wednesday feature here at John Kerry is My Hero.  Any stories or anecdotes or essays that you care to share about how John Kerry has affected your life will be published in the next Wednesday installment of Tales From the Kerryverse.  Whether it’s an account of a personal meeting or discussion you had with the Senator, what the campaign and his vision for America have meant to you, any story, large or small, funny or serious, as long as it’s positive, will be posted here (Kerry-related personal photos welcome, too!)  Leave your story as a comment on any post here, let me know it’s intended for Tales From the Kerryverse and how you want to be credited and then watch for it the very next Wednesday!

One of my favorite aspects of having learned more about John Kerry and his life and career is the enormous variety of people who have been inspired by him.  I would love to see stories from and about your families, friends, and kids and their adventures in the Kerryverse, too.  

For our first compilation, we have two wonderful stories.

Diane tells us about a chance meeting with the Senator:

I feel like I’ve told this story a million times, but it’s my favorite one.

Years ago - I’d say it must have been in about the late ’80’s - my family and I were strolling around Beacon Hill on a beautiful fall Sunday. We were walking down Beacon Street right near the Bull & Finch Pub, when out of the corner of my eye I noticed a tall man passing who seemed familiar. I did a double take as I realized it was Senator Kerry. At the same time he looked around and smiled at me and said hi. I said hi and smiled back, and that was it. He came across as a little shy, but very friendly.

That tiny incident had a disproportionate effect on me. It taught me that all the garbage I’d read about him in the Globe and Herald was - well - garbage. It taught me not to believe everything I read in the papers. I knew that the kind of person I wanted representing me in the Senate was a man who would walk around and take the time to notice and interact with people on the street, one on one. The meetings I’ve had with him since have only reinforced that initial impression.

and Jessica has sent us this beautiful account of how work on the 2004 campaign and JK and THK’s environmental philosophy had a very tangible effect on her life:

The Little House by Jessica Szabo

The little house 26 miles outside of Pittsburgh was built as the garage to a row house, became a one bedroom home that housed my mother, her sister, and her parents, and years later, my parents and me. (more…)