Edwards sees a hero son in her letter (Wade Edwards)

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/213332p-183603c.html

John Edwards' eldest son, Wade, was just 16 when he was killed in a car accident. The account of a father's relationship with his son forms one of the most emotionally wrenching parts of Edwards' book, "Four Trials." Even now — eight years after Wade's death — the Democratic vice presidential candidate finds talking of "his best friend" extremely hard. "He was an extraordinary young man of heart and warmth," he told NBC's "Today" show last week. A touching element of Edwards' tribute to his son is the reprinting of a letter from one of Wade's school friends, Alsye Tharpe.In simple, heartfelt terms, she told Wade's parents what their son had meant to her. Today she tells the Daily News the full story of why Wade Edwards had touched her life.

<snip>

But for Alyse Tharpe, the part Wade Edwards played in her life is almost immeasurable. Tharpe was Wade's former fourth-grade classmate in Root Elementary School. Her life was spiraling downward until the freckle-faced young boy became her friend. While Tharpe never got a chance to thank him before he died, she poured out her feelings in a posthumous letter to him. The letter deeply touched Wade's mother, Elizabeth, and so moved John Edwards, he felt compelled to reprint it in his book.

As she tells her story for the first time, it is hard for Alyse not to well up.

Now pursuing a social work degree at Wake Technical Community College and registering voters for the upcoming election, Tharpe said she could have easily dropped out — or worse — if Wade had not intervened.

[checks-n-balances]

1. Wow, I'm not surprised at the description of who this young man really was

I'm sure he inherited much of his character from his parents. I know they don't want to make him an issue in the campaign, but I hope someday his story can be a kind of role model for education and compassion.

Thanks for posting this.

[fujiyama]

2. It really is tragic

what happened to his son.

Edwards and his wife have shown a lot of class though. They haven't exploited their son's death in any way or tried to use it for votes.

[Mortos]

3. You can tell a lot about people

by the way their children behave. John and Elizabeth Edwards are shining examples of parenthood reflected by their children. John Kerry's children seem well adjusted and compassionate. Compare and contrast that with the Paris Hilton like behavior of the twins and their shallow contribution to the campaign of their father by appearing in a fashion spread in Vogue magazine.

Here ia an excerpt from the Vogue layout.

George's Girls
Jenna, in an Oscar de la Renta gown and Harry Winston bracelets, and Barbara, in a Calvin Klein gown, Harry Winston earrings, and Stephen Russell bracelet, photographed in New York City. "All their lives someone in the family was in public office," the First Lady says. "That's why we really wanted to give them a life of their own.



What a vapid high society way to reach out to voters. Let's dress the girls up in dresses and jewelry that cost more than most people make in a year.

Here is a website creepily dedicated to the Bush twins. It has pictures more that more accurately show the twins personality and character traits instilled in them by their father.

http://www.thefirsttwins.com/#partyanimal