In the three months leading up to the assassination of Robert Kennedy people watched in wonder at the effect this man was having as he made his way through the country showing support and passion for the many causes he cared about. He had become a symbol of hope at a time of great trial and difficulty in America. By carrying the scars of his own tragic past, his sadness and vulnerability had transformed him enabling him to feel an even greater empathy with people of every race and religion.

Though his aides and supporters were ecstatic to see the crowds and support that he was receiving throughout the campaign, they nevertheless carried a fear that the same fate awaited him as that of hisbrother, the late President. A cars backfire or an over zealous fan could cause within the entourage as they surged forward to ensure the candidates welfare. After the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr this worry increased and despite urging Bobby to add a security detail to his entourage he refused. His only concession was he travelled with a bodyguard called Bill Barry, a former FBI agent and two hulking athletes called Rafer Johnson and Roosevelt Grier who would provide him with a feeling of extra security. He would continue to refuse all offers of professional security with a shrug of his shoulders seeming fatalistic about the possibility of his own death.

He had always been unable to answer the question of Jacks death when he was so beloved by the people in America always feeling that if anyone were to die it should have been him. With this thought in mind he continued to tempt the fates as he pursued his goals. He ran that last campaign fitfully, at times cautious, at times unafraid, and hesitant at first to get into the race, typically once in, his demons drove him relentlessly forward.

Passionate about the causes he supported, he strived to make a difference each day of his life. He worked at a non-stop pace and in those last difficult months he seemed to have aged tremendously. The pictures of Bobby from that time show his face deeply lined with tired eyes that barely masked his constant pain. Coming late into the race had put an added pressure on his shoulders and he had to make up ground fast to stay in the running. Always moving forward and yet always looking over his shoulder he seemed at times to carry a burden that even the Presidency would not be able to remove from him.

By the time Bobby Kennedy reached California he was thoroughly exhausted and drained by the monumental effort he had put into the campaign. Barely able to stand up at times he was nevertheless jubilant in his success. For the first time in the years since Jacks death he feltas though his achievements were as a result of his own hard work and he was emerging from the shadow of his revered brothers past.

Taking time out with his children and his wife Ethel they enjoyed a day out at Disneyland and a relaxing evening and day at his friend John Frankenheimers house where he swam and played with his children. Preparing to go to the Ambassador Hotel that evening for the primary results both he and his entourage breathed a sigh of relief at the positive signs that the campaign was going in the right direction. We will never be certain the Democratic nomination would have been his but certainly in the weeks before his death all the indications were that support for him and his cause was growing.

Arriving at the Ambassador Hotel that evening they watched the returns coming in and finally after the verdict was clear both he and Ethel and their large entourage made their way into the ballroom of the hotel to make his acceptance speech.

With a wide smile he thanked his supporters and his team for all their help and support and he began to speak with these words:

‘What I think is quite clear is that we can work together in the last analysis to overcome the division, the violence, the disenchantment with our society, the division between black and white, between the poor and the more affluent, or between age groups or over the war in Vietnam. We are a great country, an unselfish country, a compassionate country. And I intend to make that my basis for running.’

Trying to be heard through the noise and cheering he made a victory sign and before leaving the podium finished with the words ‘So my thanks to all of you and its on to Chicago and let’s win there.’

Shortly after midnight as he left the ballroom he was escorted from the room through to a kitchen area. The room was crowded with his aides, hotel staff and cameramen disassembling their equipment. His bodyguard wasn’t in his customary position at Bobby’s side as he had stayed a moment longer to help Ethel Kennedy, pregnant with her ninth child from the room.

Bobby on entering the pantry area shook hands with two of the kitchen staff and just as he prepare to move on a young man pushed his way through and shot Bobby point blank in the head at close range. He managed to get off several more shots before he was subdued and the gun wrestled from him. Several people were injured in the shooting and the scene was chaotic as the struggle for the gun continued.

In the midst of all this Bobby lay limply on the floor with his arms spread out, blood flowing from his head. One of the young busboys he had greeted on entry sat beside him and wound a rosary beads into his hands. Barely conscious, his last thoughts were for his family and friends hoping that no one else was hurt. Ethel fell to her knees beside him begging the crowd to move back and give him room.

As Bobby Kennedy was taken by ambulance to the emergency room, the police arrived to arrest the young man we now know as Sirhan Bishara Sirhan. As ever the controversy that has ensued over the years started here with stories of a mysterious girl in a polka dot dress surfacing claiming ‘they had shot’ Kennedy. Tensions were running understandably high and the police wanted to remove Sirhan from the scene before scenes reminiscent of the Oswald shooting occurred.

Bobby Kennedy’s life hung in the balance and due to the extent of his injuries he was moved to the Good Samaritan Hospital to receive the expert care of a neurosurgeon. As ever his heart continued to beat strongly but as time passed his brain activity was diminishing. At 42 years of age he died on June 6 1968.

As in the case of President Kennedy’s assassination questions still remain unanswered here too and we are still unclear as to Sirhans motives. The investigation that ensued has left many questions unanswered. Who was the mysterious girl in the polka dot dress? Why were so many witnesses badgered until they changed their stories, why was evidence systematically destroyed? Surely the police department had learned something from the events of Dallas? It seems not. Now, thirty-four years after the death of the Senator we are still unable to explain the circumstances of his death and more importantly the reason for it.

America mourned Bobby Kennedy deeply and his death provoked such an outpouring of grief for the man they believed would have been a moral and courageous leader and who would have provided the country with focus and a new direction. He was too young to die; sadly he was only beginning his own life. We do not know what he would have done with the remainder of his days but one thing we can be certain of is that they would have been spent in the service of his country and the people he wished with all his heart to help.

Bobby Kennedy’s story is a truly inspirational one. In general we live selfish lives, too self-absorbed to see what we can do to make a difference. Bobby Kennedy despite his fears drove himself mercilessly because he believed that even one person could help to change the world.