9 October 1940 – 8 December 1980On the 8th of December 1980, on the upper west side of Manhattan, John Lennon was shot and killed by Mark David Chapman. Chapman shot Lennon just after he and Yoko Ono had exited their limousine to walk into their home at the Dakota Apartment Building on 72nd Street.
It wasn’t until a few years ago that I realized that Yoko had been right next to John as Chapman shot him. For as much as people will blame Yoko for breaking up the Beatles and say nasty things about her and her influence over Lennon, watching helplessly as your lover and soulmate is gunned down in front of you is not something that I would wish on anyone.
On the 29th of October of this year, I visited the Imagine memorial in the Strawberry Fields section of NYC’s Central Park. I also walked along 72nd street in front of the Dakota. The Dakota is just across the street from the Park and the site of the memorial. I’ve read that Yoko, who still lives in the Dakota, can see the memorial from her home and will often watch when there are memorial services and remembrance gatherings for Lennon at the memorial site, as I’m sure there is today.
I didn’t feel right about taking a photo of myself in front of the memorial, but I felt I could get away with snapping a picture of the memorial itself:
The Beatles are one of my favorite musical groups, if not at the very top of the list. I was just shy of my sixth birthday when Lennon was murdered. I don’t remember much of the details from firsthand memory at all, but I can recall just that there was a massive amount of news coverage in the days and weeks afterward. I remember that every time the topic of Lennon’s murder arose in the ensuing years of the 80’s I could always place myself back in the living room of our childhood home and feel myself watching the coverage of the funeral. I can remember the feeling of watching and knowing that everyone was sad and upset, but not really comprehending what was actually happening meant to everyone.
My appreciation for the band didn’t fully mature until sometime in high school. I finally paid attention to Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band during my junior year and jumped to the ‘white album’ next. The more I discovered the Beatles’ and Lennon’s music the more senseless his death became. I’m still discovering their music and I’m still dumbfounded by his death.
The world misses you, John.
topmost Imagine photo credit is (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)