He recruited another lion of American history, Jack Kemp, to serve as his co-chair, got a small bit of seed funding, and brought me in to help create an organization, the Children’s Health Forum. Things were tough at first. Resources were tight all around, the problem didn’t always seem solvable, Dr. Hooks wanted to take a new approach, and not everyone agreed with him. The obstacles were daunting, but he was always certain of his vision, our mission, and its eventual success. After a little while, we did start to succeed. He and Jack Kemp got Congress to fund a new grant program to cities to clean up lead in homes, and he doggedly worked to keep support for the program alive. Today over $335 million has gone through that program to clean up rental homes in 59 communities, and thousands of children and families have full, bright futures ahead of them because of it.

Dr. Hooks was not one to sit on his laurels. I think he was about 80 when he turned to me one day and said, “Olivia, when we end this lead problem, let’s get to work on AIDS.”

We celebrated Dr. Hooks’ 80th birthday in Washington, an evening none of us will ever forget thanks to Melanie – I think some of you were there for it. Congratulations and well wishes poured in from Presidents, Senators, colleagues and friends. The letters and notes coming this past week have been sadder in tone, but full of the same admiration, love, and gratitude.

It was an honor and a privilege to work with Dr. Hooks. Every member of the CHF staff has a memory of an adventure with him, a meal spent with him and Mrs. Hooks, an impromptu history lesson that forever changed the way we see the world.

Traveling with Dr. Hooks was a marvel. He was always in good spirits. And he really knew how to make an entrance. He would ride his scooter into a room and his smile would just light up the place. Once the two of us were traveling in Milwaukee, I think, and we had to cross a big road, four lanes, to get to our next meeting. We were late, and the closest crosswalk was a ways down the road, and so Dr. Hooks convinced me to jay walk. Now he was in his 80’s, in a wheel chair, and I was about seven months pregnant and looked it, I was big. “Olivia”, Dr. Hooks said, “You go head and push me across right here. No one will dare hit us.”

Wherever we went, people recognized him. I don’t mean mayors and congressmen, though that too, I mean every day people – security guards, office workers, someone on the street. You’d see the spark of recognition in their eyes and the way they held themselves a little bit taller. With another kind of celebrity people usually want something – a photo, an autograph, a story for their friends. With Dr. Hooks, people just wanted to thank him for what he had already given them. They would hold a door, call an elevator, find a chair. Show him they were who he believed them to be.

On behalf of CHF’s staff, its board, its extended family and colleagues, I want to express our gratitude for the life of Dr. Hooks, and our most especial admiration and love for Mrs. Hooks, Pat and the rest of the family. There is just an ocean of people whose lives you have touched, and yet somehow you made us each feel special. Thank you.