--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was next to Bobby [Kennedy] when he was…" description: "\"I was next to Bobby [Kennedy] when he was shot. It was hideous. Part of me wanted to crawl away. I couldn't... I still wake up in the night and think a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e2/harry-benson-44609_bobby-kennedy_i-was-next-to-bobby-kennedy-when-he-was_699874.jpg" --- # I was next to Bobby \[Kennedy\] when he was shot. It was… ![“I was next to Bobby [Kennedy] when he was shot. It was hideous. Part of me wanted to crawl away. I couldn't... I still wake up in the night and think about it. I even remember the f-stop. It was 1.4.” quote by Harry Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e2/harry-benson-44609_bobby-kennedy_i-was-next-to-bobby-kennedy-when-he-was_699874.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e2/harry-benson-44609_bobby-kennedy_i-was-next-to-bobby-kennedy-when-he-was_699874.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e2/harry-benson-44609_bobby-kennedy_i-was-next-to-bobby-kennedy-when-he-was_699874.jpg) > “I was next to Bobby \[Kennedy\] when he was shot. It was hideous. Part of me wanted to crawl away. I couldn't... I still wake up in the night and think about it. I even remember the f-stop. It was 1.4.” [Harry Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-benson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Witnessing a traumatic event leaves lasting emotional scars and intrusive memories. **In simple terms:** Trauma lingers after violent events. Key Takeaway Seek support and process the experience. Themes trauma memory grief Mood somber reflective Type personal testimonial When to use this quote - counseling - support groups - mindfulness - journaling Key Concepts psychology post‑traumatic stress Questions to Reflect On - How do you cope with sudden trauma? - What support could aid recovery? A Different Perspective Healing can be slow and may need professional help. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Wake up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wake-up/) ## Related quotes > [I hadn't accepted he was seriously ill. The idea that someone so close to you couldn't wake up was utterly incomprehensible. Then the doctor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-gibb/i-hadn-t-accepted-he-was-seriously-ill-the-idea-that-someone-so-close/) [Robin Gibb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-gibb/) > [I equal parts loved him and could not stand him. I couldn't wake him to share in my distress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-equal-parts-loved-him-and-could-not-stand-him-i-couldn-t-wake-him/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“You couldn't wake someone when his own dreams turned out better than reality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-bennett/you-couldn-t-wake-someone-when-his-own-dreams-turned-out-better-than/) [Danielle Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-bennett/) > [The pilot came back and said he had just heard that Kennedy was shot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-smathers/the-pilot-came-back-and-said-he-had-just-heard-that-kennedy-was-shot/) [George Smathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-smathers/) > [I can tell you where I was when Kennedy was shot - which was in the common room at school. I heard about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-neill/i-can-tell-you-where-i-was-when-kennedy-was-shot-which-was-in-the/) [Sam Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-neill/) > [“I have changed my mind on a number of things, including almost everything having to do with Cuba, but the idea that we should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-have-changed-my-mind-on-a-number-of-things-including-almost/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Dallas is where Kennedy was shot, and that's where I was put in jail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/dallas-is-where-kennedy-was-shot-and-that-s-where-i-was-put-in-jail/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) > [You know, at parties, people always ask, 'Where were you when Kennedy was shot?' Well, I don't have an alibi!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/you-know-at-parties-people-always-ask-where-were-you-when-kennedy-was/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [People always ask me, 'Where were you when Kennedy was shot?' Well, I don't have an alibi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/people-always-ask-me-where-were-you-when-kennedy-was-shot-well-i-don/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [I think that for many of us, the years of the Civil Rights movements - Martin Luther King, Bobby Kennedy running for president in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/i-think-that-for-many-of-us-the-years-of-the-civil-rights-movements/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [I came at age in the '60s, and initially my hopes and dreams were invested in politics and the movements of the time -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-talbot/i-came-at-age-in-the-60s-and-initially-my-hopes-and-dreams-were/) [David Talbot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-talbot/) > [“Bobby Kennedy chose the members of the squad himself. He gave the squad a very limited job to do and gave the squad a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brandt/bobby-kennedy-chose-the-members-of-the-squad-himself-he-gave-the/) [Charles Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brandt/) > [“Later that same year John F. Kennedy was elected president by a thin margin. The first thing he did was appoint his brother attorney…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brandt/later-that-same-year-john-f-kennedy-was-elected-president-by-a-thin/) [Charles Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brandt/) > [You cultural sodomite. You were an aide to Bobby Kennedy, which explains your connection to Hasselhoff. I guess you like to hang around guys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-ross/you-cultural-sodomite-you-were-an-aide-to-bobby-kennedy-which/) [Jeff Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-ross/) > [My first presidential primary vote was for Bobby Kennedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-gunton/my-first-presidential-primary-vote-was-for-bobby-kennedy/) [Bob Gunton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-gunton/) ## More by Harry Benson > [John Lennon brought his wife Cynthia, a nice blonde girl and she was horribly put out of sight and stayed home. I know it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-benson/john-lennon-brought-his-wife-cynthia-a-nice-blonde-girl-and-she-was/) [Harry Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-benson/) > [My ethics are basically around animals. I cannot do animals in distress. I was able to shut myself off with humans, and in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-benson/my-ethics-are-basically-around-animals-i-cannot-do-animals-in/) [Harry Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-benson/) > [It takes a while for a photograph to mature. That sounds really pretentious, but it takes a time for it to go from here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-benson/it-takes-a-while-for-a-photograph-to-mature-that-sounds-really/) [Harry Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-benson/) > [I have always been anonymous, that is the position I should be. And it is hard to say why or how you did something,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-benson/i-have-always-been-anonymous-that-is-the-position-i-should-be-and-it/) [Harry Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-benson/) > [There is only one point of view, that is your point of view. You are making a mistake if you see the point of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-benson/there-is-only-one-point-of-view-that-is-your-point-of-view-you-are/) [Harry Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-benson/) > [A good photograph is one that can't be repeated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-benson/a-good-photograph-is-one-that-can-t-be-repeated/) [Harry Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-benson/) > [The thing about photography is that every day is a new day, even if you are working on the same story, because every day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-benson/the-thing-about-photography-is-that-every-day-is-a-new-day-even-if/) [Harry Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-benson/) > [I don't know what I would have done if I had had to work for a living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-benson/i-don-t-know-what-i-would-have-done-if-i-had-had-to-work-for-a-living/) [Harry Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-benson/) [Explore all 9 Harry Benson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-benson/) ## More Bobby kennedy quotes > [My first presidential primary vote was for Bobby Kennedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-gunton/my-first-presidential-primary-vote-was-for-bobby-kennedy/) [Bob Gunton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-gunton/) > [You cultural sodomite. You were an aide to Bobby Kennedy, which explains your connection to Hasselhoff. I guess you like to hang around guys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-ross/you-cultural-sodomite-you-were-an-aide-to-bobby-kennedy-which/) [Jeff Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-ross/) > [“Later that same year John F. Kennedy was elected president by a thin margin. The first thing he did was appoint his brother attorney…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brandt/later-that-same-year-john-f-kennedy-was-elected-president-by-a-thin/) [Charles Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brandt/) > [“Bobby Kennedy chose the members of the squad himself. He gave the squad a very limited job to do and gave the squad a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brandt/bobby-kennedy-chose-the-members-of-the-squad-himself-he-gave-the/) [Charles Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brandt/) > [I came at age in the '60s, and initially my hopes and dreams were invested in politics and the movements of the time -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-talbot/i-came-at-age-in-the-60s-and-initially-my-hopes-and-dreams-were/) [David Talbot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-talbot/) > [I think that for many of us, the years of the Civil Rights movements - Martin Luther King, Bobby Kennedy running for president in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/i-think-that-for-many-of-us-the-years-of-the-civil-rights-movements/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [I just find Bobby Kennedy's short campaign for president so inspiring because his rhetoric identified what America can be like if we care about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-ryan/i-just-find-bobby-kennedy-s-short-campaign-for-president-so-inspiring/) [Tim Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-ryan/) > [Bobby Kennedy's conduct toward Lyndon Johnson was childish and despicable. As the years went on, he displayed nasty, self-pitying, and messianic qualities that would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mallon/bobby-kennedy-s-conduct-toward-lyndon-johnson-was-childish-and/) [Thomas Mallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/) > [We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-all-remember-bobby-kennedy-was-assassinated-in-june-in-california/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [“When a reporter asked Bobby Kennedy what he would do if Hoffa were acquitted, Bobby Kennedy, who said he had “never considered that possibility”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brandt/when-a-reporter-asked-bobby-kennedy-what-he-would-do-if-hoffa-were/) [Charles Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brandt/) > [We don't really know who killed Martin Luther King. We don't really know who killed Bobby Kennedy. We don't really know who killed John…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-mckinney/we-don-t-really-know-who-killed-martin-luther-king-we-don-t-really/) [Cynthia McKinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-mckinney/) > [“Bobby Kennedy gave Cheasty a job with the committee at a salary of $5,000 a year. The FBI planted microphones and set up cameras.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brandt/bobby-kennedy-gave-cheasty-a-job-with-the-committee-at-a-salary-of-5/) [Charles Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brandt/) > [When people ask what were the qualities of Bobby Kennedy that they most admired, it was first that he was tough. Second, he told…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emilio-estevez/when-people-ask-what-were-the-qualities-of-bobby-kennedy-that-they/) [Emilio Estevez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emilio-estevez/) > [I had my serious side - I idolized Bobby Kennedy; he was my role model. But so was Jerry Lewis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ritter/i-had-my-serious-side-i-idolized-bobby-kennedy-he-was-my-role-model/) [John Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ritter/) > [“At one point Hoffa told Bobby Kennedy regarding the tapes, “To the best of my recollection, I must recall on my memory, I cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brandt/at-one-point-hoffa-told-bobby-kennedy-regarding-the-tapes-to-the-best/) [Charles Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brandt/) Browse all 59 Bobby kennedy quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was next to Bobby [Kennedy] when he was shot. It was hideous. Part of me wanted to crawl away. I couldn't... I still wake up in the night and think about it. I even remember the f-stop. 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