John Lennon's Death -- 30 years later

[The Monkey]

I always find this day sad, but this year is more poignant to me due to the 30th anniversary attention, etc. Growing up, I lived on the 22nd floor of the building next door to the Dakota. We saw John and Yoko with some frequency. I later went to grammar school with their son. They were unpretentious, unassuming, and decent. And for the most part, it appeared that most in the neighborhood gave them at least some space.

I was in my PJs getting ready for bed the night John Lennon was murdered--I was 8 years old. I heard the shots. I didn't know what they were--amazingly I had never heard gunshots even in NYC through the 70s. They went "crack!" not that enhanced echo-reverb stuff from the movies. My mom knew immediately, though, and she knew it was John Lennon: "Oh, god, those were gunshots...John Lennon!" We ran out to our terrace and saw the awful scene below...Yoko screaming...John being placed into the back of an NYPD squad car. My parents cried when the news came that John died, and I didn't know how to help them. I also was terribly sad about the news, but it was dramatically compounded by how sad it made my mom and dad.

I think today about John Lennon the man, not the Beatle, on that day in 1980. He was around my age and also married with a young son Jack's age. Most of the time, I look back on that day as an 8 year old. It's more painful to me thinking about it as an adult. RIP John Lennon.

[Voltron]

Thanks for this Dinny. That's really an incredible story.

I was listening to clips of John's final interview on the Rolling Stone site and already misty as I read it. I also just got off the phone with a friend/colleague who is a few years younger than me and grew up very near me. We were comparing our memories of the night 30 years ago. He was a freshman in high school and wasn't a particular Beatles/Lennon fan and wasn't strongly affected. I was a junior that year and was really into music and the Beatles. A couple of my best friends (then and now) were huge Beatles fans, and especially loved John. I was doing homework in our living room while playing records. My parents and maybe my brother were watching Monday Night Football and Howard Cossell had come on and said that John Lennon was shot and killed in NY. It was like a gut shot and I remember feeling blown away that he could be dead. I called one of those Beatlemaniac friends and told him about it and he was beside himself. It's really amazing and very sad that John was only 40. RIP

[mypasswordis]

RIP John Lennon. I wasn't even close to being conceived at the time, but his songs and role in The Beatles have definitely influenced me.

[Torpedo]

RIP Mr Lennon. If there's been a stupid, avoidable death of famous talented people in history, it has been his. Thanks for sharing the story Dinny.

[swt61]

I think it really touched most of my generation, but it was very cool to read about how personal and up close it was for you Dinny. Every time I hear Elton's 'Empty Garden' it makes me really sad.

[Salt Peanuts]

RIP John Lennon.

[Aura]

Incredible story Dinny. I'm sorry to say that like Justin, Lennon was way before my time. Unlike Justin, I've never really been into the Beatles and haven't been influenced by Lennon as an artist. I have, however, been influenced by Lennon as a man. He seemed to exude the very definition of a humanitarian. RIP.

[Pars]

That is an incredible story Dinny. Lennon was always my favorite and IMHO the most talented of the Beatles. He seemed to manage to stay true to himself as well. RIP.

[Currawong]

Amazing story, I can't imagine what it would have felt like to live through that. I was reading the story of the girl who managed to sneak into the hotel where they were having their bed-in protest and knock on his door and how, after talking to her parents, they allowed her to stay with him for it. Sounds like he was a very cool guy despite being a star.

[morphsci]

That was a moving story Dinny. Put a much more personal perspective on it for me. Thanks.