Michael Reagan gave a beautiful tribute of his relationship with his dad.He is a good man,like his dad.
Posted on 06/11/2004 9:37:43 PM PDT by ReaganandDubyaForever
Text of remarks by Michael Reagan at Friday's burial service for former President Reagan, as transcribed by eMediaMillWorks Inc.:
Good evening. I'm Mike Reagan. You knew my father as governor, as president. But I knew him as dad. I want to tell you a little bit about my dad. A little bit about Cameron and Ashley's grandfather because not a whole lot is ever spoken about that side of Ronald Reagan.
Ronald Reagan adopted me into his family 1945. I was a chosen one. I was the lucky one. And all of his years, he never mentioned that I was adopted either behind my back or in front of me. I was his son, Michael Edward Reagan.
When his families grew to be two families, he didn't walk away from the one to go to the other. But he became a father to both. To Patti and then Ronnie, but always to Maureen, my sister, and myself.
We looked forward to those Saturday mornings when he would pick us up, sitting on the curve on Beverly Glen as his car would turn the corner from Sunset Boulevard and we would get in and ride to his ranch and play games and he would always make sure it ended up a tie.
We would swim and we would ride horses or we'd just watch him cut firewood. We would be in awe of our father. As years went by and I became older and found a woman I would marry, Colleen, he sent me a letter about marriage and how important it was to be faithful to the woman you love with a P.S.: You'll never get in trouble if you say I love you at least once a day, and I'm sure he told Nancy every day "I love you" as I tell Colleen.
He also sent letters to his grandchildren. He wasn't able to be the grandfather that many of you are able to be because of the job that he had. And so he would write letters. He sent one letter to Cameron, said: "Cameron, some guy got $10,000 for my signature. Maybe this letter will help you pay for your college education. He signed it, Grandpa. P.S. Your grandpa is the 40th president of the United States, Ronald Reagan. He just signed his sign."
Those are the kinds of things my father did.
At the early onset of Alzheimer's disease, my father and I would tell each other we loved each other and we would give each other a hug. As the years went by and he could no longer verbalize my name, he recognized me as the man who hugged him. So when I would walk into the house, he would be there in his chair opening up his arms for that hug, hello, and the hug goodbye. It was a blessing truly brought on by God.
We had wonderful blessings of that nature. Wonderful, wonderful blessings that my father gave to me each and every day of my life.
I was so proud to have the Reagan name and to be Ronald Reagan's son. What a great honor. He gave me a lot of gifts as a child. Gave me a horse. Gave me a car. Gave me a lot of things. But there's a gift he gave me that I think is wonderful for every father to give every son.
Last Saturday, when my father opened his eyes for the last time, and visualized Nancy and gave her such a wonderful, wonderful gift.
When he closed his eyes, that's when I realized the gift that he gave to me, the gift that he was going to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He had, back in 1988 on a flight from Washington, D.C. to Point Mugu, told me about his love of God, his love of Christ as his Savior. I didn't know then what it all meant. But I certainly, certainly know now.
I can't think of a better gift for a father to give a son. And I hope to honor my father by giving my son Cameron and my daughter Ashley that very same gift he gave to me.
Knowing where he is this very moment, this very day, that he is in Heaven, and I can only promise my father this. Dad, when I go, I will go to Heaven, too. And you and I and my sister, Maureen, that went before us, we will dance with the heavenly host of angels before the presence of God. We will do it melanoma and Alzheimer's free. Thank you for letting me share my father, Ronald Wilson Reagan.
© 2004 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
and all this time I thought Ron was referring to another, former, president who was seen with a Bible under his arm on Easter morning before going back to the White House to bong his young intern .. shows to go ya.
Why is that sentence in there? If they had a normal relationship, one think it obvious that Wyman would be in contact with Michael. It makes me think that Michael and Wyman have little contact.
OK, this is what I understand. Ronald Reagan and Wyman adopted Michael and from the burgeoning he and Wyman didn't ever get along.... so when Reagan married Nancy he went to live with them for that reason and from what is told, Nancy resented that, and so Michael had to deal with that!!!
So the part about him being in contact yadda yaddda is probably true, he did not have a relationship with WYMAN at all. And now that you mention it, I didn't even know this woman was alive! Did she go to any of the services????
As for other comments about the children... I for one do not trust Ron Jr. He had a smirk on his face most of the time and I can wager bets on how long it will take him to be on the next talk show. As for his comments about politicians wearing their faith on their sleeve..... I would think of clinton.... but Ron Jr is speaking of GW. But I would rather a FAITH BASED, BIBLE BELIEVING CHRISTIAN MAN such as President Bush speak and wear this on his sleeve than someone as the likes of Clinton... But that is his (Ron Jr's) belief as he is a liberal securalist. 116 posted on 06/12/2004 9:35:28 PM PDT by Netizen
I liked Ron Reagan's remarks better, actually.
On FNC someone had mentioned Norman Lear and that he was a friend of Nancy's.
I believe it has been reported that Michael had NO contact with Ms. Wyman for many many years. He went to live with the Reagans when he was little.
One only has to listen to Ron, Jr. on MSNBC to see what an bitter hateful person he is. His politics are the antithesis of all things Reagan.
Ron,Jr. had been hired by MSNBC quite a while ago. His commentary is hateful towards all things conservative. His dislike for President Bush is obvious.
MIchael Reagan had the best of the eulogies from all the children. Better than the political drivel spewed from Ron Jr. I enjoy his radio program too.
Ok. Pieces of the puzzle are starting to fall into place. From another thread which I had been reading which got pulled for some reason.
Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies | Report Abuse ]To: Military family memberBiological grandchildren would be the phrase he was looking for.
I will add that many people and especially the media find some sort of glee in continually emphasizing the fact that someone was adopted. While it certainly is part of someones life, it is usually not the defining characteristic of most people.
And suffice it to say that for parents - their love for their children knows no bounds adopted or not.
As for Michael - after this week, he is the only Reagan child that I have any respect for.
I will never forget seeing him years ago talking about a little of his childhood. He spent a lot of time with Ronald Reagan and Nancy, can't remember if he lived with them in the summers or visited for long periods.
Anyway, he talked about how he was the only person who didn't have his own bedroom at the ranch. At one time they were doing a huge add-on and he though/hoped that it was a surprise of a bedroom for him. Anyway, it turned out to be a living area or something, not sure, but I think that incidents such as this spurred the title of his book.
One thing has always been clear though - he loved his father very much.
I did a search on the book Michael Reagan: On the Outside Looking In
It was published in 1988 and is out of print. There are a acouple of copies out there at used sites. I'm hoping it gets republished.
From the same thread mentioned above:
To: lonestarInterestingly, Nancy Reagan was also adopted. Her story actually begins in New York City, her birthplace. She was born on July 6, 1921. When the future First Lady was six, her mother, Edith--a stage actress--married Dr. Loyal Davis, a neurosurgeon. Dr. Davis adopted Nancy, and she grew up in Chicago.
Pretty sad that Nancy, as adopted herself, by her stepfather, couldn't find it in her heart to love the adopted son of her 'beloved Ronnie'.
People who believe in nothing will believe in anything....and I look for the left to try to use these two siblings big time in the near future. Ron's wife appears pretty grounded to me and I hope she's an anchor to keep him from floating off into outer space in the coming years. Patty appears to me to be like a loose cannon despite her discipline during the funeral week.
Leni
At the risk of being a pop psychologist, I think Ron Jr.'s visceral dislike of GWB is related to the fact that Ron Jr. flunked out of Yale and has not had a successful career. GWB's spectacular success must elicit invidious comparisons. The Bush family has, on a whole, been much more stable and supportive of one another compared to the Reagans. I attribute much of that to Barbara.
From the White House website, Nancy's bio:
President and Mrs. Reagan have a daughter, Patricia Ann, and a son, Ronald Prescott.
No mention of Michael Reagan, President Reagans adopted son, or MAUREEN. Maurren probably remained with her mother, so ok I'll give that a pass, BUT Michael it seems lived with Ronald and Nancy for some years. He seems to be deliberately left out. Why???
While her husband was Governor of California from 1967 to 1975, she worked with numerous charitable groups. She spent many hours visiting veterans, the elderly, and the emotionally and physically handicapped. These people continued to interest her as First Lady. She gave her support to the Foster Grandparent Program, the subject of her 1982 book, To Love A Child.
Too bad she couldn't love the one in her midst.
Through the joys and sorrows of those days, including the assassination attempt on her husband, Nancy Reagan held fast to her belief in love, honesty, and selflessness. "The ideals have endured because they are right and are no less right today than yesterday."Love, honesty, and selflessness?? Isn't there something about charity starting at home?
I backed out and saved the previous page and its 100 posts because I found some of the information interesting.
As someone who strongly supported Reagan and was involved heavily in some of his most significant overseas trips, I don't understand why talking about his family is verboten. As the Presidential campaign heats up, I predict that Ron Jr. will become a more visible anti-Bush spokesman and that Nancy will be used as a weapon against GWB concerning stem cell research. I guess after that happens, it will be politically correct to criticize them.
I think you may be right. Kerry supports stem cell research doesn't he?
Yes, big time. Kerry was an outspoken co-sponsor of the Stem Cell Research Act of 2001, a bill to allow federally-funded scientists to derive stem cells from human embryos -- if those embryos are obtained from IVF clinics, if the donor has provided informed consent, and the embryo was no longer needed for fertility treatments.
Michael Reagan gave a beautiful tribute of his relationship with his dad.He is a good man,like his dad.
What, commentating on dog shows isn't a successful career??????????????????
I missed that part. Maureen, who died a few years ago, her husband was placed before Michael? That seems not right.
Spot on! My wife and I watched the three of them eulogize their father and you said almost verbatim what we did. Michael Reagan is a man, Patti and Ron are still functional adolescents.
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