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These big Texas interns kept saying, 'Mrs. Kennedy, you come with us', they wanted to take me away from him... But I said 'I'm not leaving'... Dave Powers came running to me at the hospital, crying when he saw me, my legs, my hands were covered with his brains... When Dave saw this he burst out weeping... I said 'I'm not going to leave him, I'm not going to leave him'... I was standing outside in this narrow corridor... ten minutes later this big policeman brought me a chair.

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis#26

HistoryLoyaltyCommitmentCrisisDedication

About this quote

What does it mean?
She describes refusing to leave her husband at the hospital despite his severe injuries and the urging of others.
In plain terms
She stayed with her husband at the hospital even when others tried to move her away.
What can you take from it?
Loyalty can override fear and advice in a medical crisis.

Where it applies

  • hospital emergencies
  • family crisis
  • tragic events

Putting it to work

  • historical analysis
  • medical ethics discussion

Questions to consider

  • What drives someone to stay in a crisis?
  • How do you support someone in trauma?

Another view

Staying in such a situation could have posed health risks to the witness.

More from Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

  1. When they carried Jack in, Hill threw his coat over Jack's head, and I held his head to throw the coat over it. It wasn't repulsive to me for one moment - noth…

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  2. I said, 'I want to be in there when he dies'... so Burkeley forced his way into the operating room and said, 'It's her prerogative, it's her prerogative...' an…

    Permalink to quote #27
  3. His head was so beautiful. I tried to hold the top of his head down, maybe I could keep it in... but I knew he was dead.

    Permalink to quote #24

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