--- title: Joe Biden Thanks Public for 'Compassion' After Son Beau's Death description: "Your love & admiration for Beau has touched us beyond measure" canonical: https://time.com/3912949/vice-president-joe-biden-thanks-compassion-kindness/ author: Maya Rhodan article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-06-08T17:51:19.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-01T09:08:22.783Z article:section: Politics og:title: Joe Biden Thanks Well-Wishers for 'Compassion' After Son's Death og:description: "Your love & admiration for Beau has touched us beyond measure" og:url: https://time.com/3912949/vice-president-joe-biden-thanks-compassion-kindness/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8d807f75ebc6c4e1/698853823c1639679045841b/biden.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2560 og:image:height: 1440 og:image:alt: Vice President Joe Biden funeral og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Joe Biden Thanks Well-Wishers for 'Compassion' After Son's Death twitter:description: "Your love & admiration for Beau has touched us beyond measure" twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8d807f75ebc6c4e1/698853823c1639679045841b/biden.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Vice President Joe Biden Thanks Public for 'Compassion' After Son's Death > Sponsored content. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=908f6038-46a0-48dd-84c6-d5da2ba0c415&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Beau Biden's 'Mighty Heart' Remembered At Funeral [Watch (HLS stream): Beau Biden's 'Mighty Heart' Remembered At Funeral](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/kzVcg0hg.m3u8) (1:40)  _Published 2015-06-06. Mourners bid Beau Biden a final farewell at a funeral mass held in Wilmington, Delaware. The vice president’s son died of brain cancer at age 46._ by [Maya Rhodan](https://time.com/author/maya-rhodan/) ## Maya Rhodan Jun 8, 2015 5:51 PM UTC Mourners bid Beau Biden a final farewell at a funeral mass held in Wilmington, Delaware. The vice president’s son died of brain cancer at age 46. by [Maya Rhodan](https://time.com/author/maya-rhodan/) ## Maya Rhodan Jun 8, 2015 5:51 PM UTC Vice President Joe Biden tweeted his and his family’s gratitude for the outpouring of “kindness and compassion” they’ve received in the wake of his son Beau’s death. > [](https://twitter.com/VP/status/607949804006699008) Beau Biden was laid to rest this Saturday following three days of public events, at which thousands joined the Biden family in mourning his death. The vice president’s eldest son was 46 years old when he died in late May of brain cancer. At his funeral mass on Saturday, President Obama said Beau, “did in 46 years what most of us couldn’t do in 146\. He left nothing in the tank.” Read more:[ Read the full text of President Obama’s heartfelt eulogy](http://time.com/3911699/beau-biden-funeral-barack-obama-eulogy-full-text/) ### See the Life of Beau Biden  Joe Biden takes a mock oath of office from George H. W. Bush, accompanied by his family in Capitol Hill in Washington on Jan. 3, 1985. Lana Harris—AP  Senator Joseph Biden, (D-Del.), center, waves to a crowd as his train leaves, after he announced his candidacy for President in Wilmington, Del., June 9, 1987\. At right, Biden's son, Beau, carries Biden's daughter Ashley. Next to Biden is his wife, Jill, and son Hunter. George Widman—AP  Vice President Joe Biden walks with his sister, Valerie Biden Owens, Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey, second left, and his son, Beau Biden, Delaware Attorney General, during a visit to Scranton, Pa., on July 3, 2012. Butch Comegys—AP  President Barack Obama shakes hands with Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden, left, next to Biden's wife, Hallie Biden, far left, and Delaware Governor Jack Markell as he arrives at New Castle Air National Guard Base in New Castle, Del., on July 17, 2014. Jacquelyn Martin—AP  Beau Biden with then Vice Presidential candidate Senator Joe Biden on stage at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colo. August 27, 2008. Chris Wattie—Reuters  Then Senator Joe Biden embraces his son after his son introduced him at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado, August 27, 2008. Larry Downing—Reuters  In this Sept. 30, 2009 file photo, Capt. Beau Biden carries his son Hunter, 3, on his shoulders after an official welcome home ceremony for members of the Delaware Army National Guard 261st Signal Brigade in Dover, Del. Rob Carr—AP ## Transcript [00:00] Beau Biden brought to his work a mighty heart. He [00:06] brought to his family a mighty heart. [ MUSIC ] [00:19] Mourners filled the aisles as President Obama paid [00:21] tribute to Beau Biden. Eldest son of Vice President, Joe [00:25] Biden who died at 46 of brain cancer. He was not [00:29] above dancing in nothing but a Sombrero and shorts at [00:32] Thanksgiving and would shake loose a laugh from the [00:34] people he loved. And through it all, he was the [00:38] consummate public servant, a notebook in his back [00:42] pocket at all times so he could write down the [00:44] problems of everyone he met. And [00:48] go back to the office to get him fixed. He never [00:50] judged. He just listened, and offered his hand, [00:55] his shoulder, his wise advice, and his love. Ashley and [00:59] Hunter Biden also spoke at their brother's funeral [01:01] mass. As did General Ray [ UNKNOWN ], a former U. S. [01:04] commander in Iraq. I was able to witness firsthand, [01:07] Beau was an incredible character. He presented Biden [01:11] with the Legion of Merit for his military service. [01:14] Saturday's funeral mass concludes three days of public [01:16] mourning for the former Delaware attorney general [01:19] and over Thursday, hundreds gathered to pay their [01:21] respects as Biden's flag draped casket lay in the state [01:25] capital. A separate public viewing was held Friday, in [01:28] Wilmington. This fearlessly patriotic public servant, [01:31] gone. Gone. 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