After visiting the church where his son Beau is buried, President Joe Biden also stopped by the nearby Veterans Memorial Park to lay flowers.
President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden arrived at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Wilmington, Delaware, on May 30, 2024, to mark the ninth anniversary of Beau Biden’s death. Beau, the former attorney general of Delaware, passed away from brain cancer in 2015 at the age of 46.
The Bidens attended a private service at the church early in the morning, accompanied by family members, including Hunter Biden, who faces a firearms charge trial on June 3. After spending about an hour at the church, they proceeded to Veterans Memorial Park in New Castle, Delaware.
At the memorial park, President Biden met with former Delaware state Senator Nancy Cook and her son, Thomas Cook, CEO of the Delaware River and Bay Authority. He laid flowers at the memorial and thanked Cook for her support over the years.
In photos from the day, President Biden is seen in a blue suit and striped tie, wearing sunglasses at the memorial park where he also greeted Delaware National Guard Maj. Gen. Michael Berry.
The visit concluded around 9 a.m. when the president boarded Marine One at the Delaware Air National Guard base.
Reflecting on the loss of his son, President Biden shared with PEOPLE in 2020 the importance of finding purpose aligned with what the deceased would have wanted. He emphasized that engaging with the public on such personal matters can be challenging but also fulfilling, as it honors the memory of loved ones.
Beau Biden served with the Delaware Army National Guard and was deployed to Iraq from 2008 to 2009. He was awarded a Bronze Star Medal for his service. At the time of his death, he was pursuing the Democratic nomination for governor of Delaware. Beau and his brother Hunter survived a 1972 car crash that claimed the lives of President Biden’s first wife, Neilia, and their daughter, Naomi. Joe Biden and Jill Biden also share a daughter, Ashley.
