On Thursday, October 30, 2014, the city of Boston lost a great leader. Thomas Michael Menino, Boston’s longest serving mayor, died. He was diagnosed with advanced cancer earlier this year after leaving office. A man with great vision for the city of Boston, he helped mold and shape the city’s skyline.
A friend to all, he made sure that everyone one he encountered was treated fairly. A lot of his career was based on the fact that he was highly public within the community of Boston. He once said “The true privilege of being Mayor is that I have the opportunity to be everyone’s neighbor.” And to that he stayed true, in a recent poll in the city of Boston, 57% of Bostonians said that they have either shook his hand or had a conversation with him. He received everyone he encountered with an open heart.
A strong advocate for business, Mayor Menino helped recruit and diversify the Boston area. One day he would be recruiting high tech companies and the next he would be cutting ribbons around the city at local eateries. Through the years, not only was he bringing business to the area, Mayor Menino became a pioneer in the development of new buildings adding millions of square footage to the grounds of Boston.
From national posts to local, everyone had high praise for Mayor Menino, the leadership he displayed, and the legacy he left behind. President Obama said Mr. Menino was “bold, big-hearted, and Boston strong. Tom was the embodiment of the city he loved and led for more than two decades,” Obama said. “As Boston’s longest-serving mayor, Tom helped make his hometown the vibrant, welcoming, world-class place it is today. His legacy lives on in every neighborhood he helped revitalize, every school he helped turn around, and every community he helped make a safer, better place to live.” And here locally, successor to the office, Mayor Walsh said “With sheer determination and unmatched work ethic, Mr. Menino put us on the world stage as a national leader in health care, education, innovation, and the nitty-gritty of executing basic city services. Because of his leadership,” he added, “Boston is a better place today.”
As it is being said around the web, a name fitting for Thomas Menino, Mr. Boston, will be missed. We will miss his charm, his service, and dedication that he displayed throughout the many years he served as mayor for this great city of Boston.
