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Son opens mother's letter she wrote to him as a baby on day of JFK’s assassination 60 years after national tragedy
Featured Image Credit: WMUR/CNN

Son opens mother's letter she wrote to him as a baby on day of JFK’s assassination 60 years after national tragedy

Caroline Lundstedt wrote letters to her children to capture her emotions on the day of the president's death

Emily Brown

Emily Brown

On 22 November, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. On that same day, mom Carolyn Lundstedt penned a letter which has only just been opened, 60 years later.

Weir Lundstedt was just an infant when the 35th US president was killed in Dallas, Texas.

His mom heard the news in New Jersey, and decided to write down what she was feeling so that one day her son and his siblings could share in what she was feeling.

Oddly enough, Caroline herself passed away exactly 26 years to the day after Kennedy's assassination.

Weir first found her letter in 2008, but it wasn't until this year that he read the words she wrote six decades ago.

Upon doing so, he admitted to WMUR 9, "I should have opened this sooner."

Weir rediscovered the letter last month while sorting through family mementos following his father's death, and said he was 'nervous' to read it.

Caroline wrote the letter on the day of JFK's assassination.
WMUR

When he did read the letter, which was postmarked in Riverton, New Jersey, he was thrust back into his childhood as it began: "Friday, Nov. 22, 1963. Dear Weir. As you were sleeping now in your crib upstairs, you are too young to realize."

Kennedy was just 46 years old and was preparing for the next presidential campaign when he was assassinated.

“You will one day read about this in your history book," the letter continued, before Caroline went on to share her thoughts about Kennedy, who was made president in 1961.

"Know that he has been, we feel, a good, honest and devoted young president," she wrote.

"He has been energetic and tireless in his quest for lasting world peace. What a pity that one of his own people should take it upon himself to destroy this vital man."

The letter described John F Kennedy as a leader.
WMUR

Caroline signed the letter, "Lovingly, your mother and dad."

Kennedy was killed shortly after noon as he rode in a motorcade through downtown Dallas, where gunfire rang out through the plaza.

He was struck in the head and neck before being rushed to Parkland Memorial Hospital.

At 1pm, Kennedy was pronounced dead.

Within a matter of hours, police arrested Lee Harvey Oswald, a recently hired employee at the Texas School Book Depository.

Two days after Kennedy's assassination, Oswald was being transferred from police headquarters to the county jail when he was shot at point blank range by a man named Jack Ruby. Oswald then died as a result of the attack.

Topics: US News, Politics

Emily Brown is UNILAD Editorial Lead at LADbible Group. She first began delivering news when she was just 11 years old - with a paper route - before graduating with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University. Emily joined UNILAD in 2018 to cover breaking news, trending stories and longer form features. She went on to become Community Desk Lead, commissioning and writing human interest stories from across the globe, before moving to the role of Editorial Lead. Emily now works alongside the UNILAD Editor to ensure the page delivers accurate, interesting and high quality content.