Vice President Joe Biden, his extended family, state dignitaries and hundreds of others gathered at Legislative Hall in Dover, Del., on Thursday afternoon to pay respects to Biden’s son, Beau, who died Saturday of brain cancer.
Beau, 46, was lying in honor at the Delaware Senate chamber, where the receiving line stretched around the block, according to a White House pool report. President Obama was expected to speak at Beau’s funeral, which will be held Saturday in Wilmington.
The Thursday ceremony was attended by several state officials, and United Nations Ambassador Samantha Power and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo also attended.
Delaware Gov. Jack Markell posthumously presented Beau with the Delaware Conspicuous Service Cross.
“Your dad beamed with pride and love for you,” Markell said during the service, as the vice president began to cry. “His attachment to his parents is now a part of history.”
“Never has a son’s love been so genuine and so deep,” he added. Beau had planned to run for governor next year.
A 4 p.m. pool report said Vice President Biden was still receiving people more than two hours into the ceremony, and was greeting people with hugs and kisses. The ceremony was scheduled to end at 5 p.m., but officials said Biden was expected to “stay until the crowd stops coming.”
