Barack Obama beamed with pride as he accepted the annual John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award during a ceremony in Boston on Sunday. John F. Kennedy's daughter Caroline and only grandson Jack Schlossberg were on hand to present the honour to the former US president. Jack, who graduated from Yale in 2015, couldn't help but sing Barack's praises, telling the audience how much of an impact both his grandfather and Barack have had on his life.
JFK's grandson Jack, told the crowd how his grandfather and Barack impacted his life
"My life changed in 2008 because a young candidate was fired up and ready to go, and he told me 'Yes we can,'" he explained to the crowd.
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Jack further credited the 55-year-old politician for inspiring him to get off the couch and go out into the world to try and make a difference. "Without Barack Obama I might still be sitting on my couch eating Doritos and watching sports," he admitted.
Barack, accompanied by his wife Michelle, received a standing ovation before taking the podium to deliver a 30-minute-speech that captivated everyone in the room.
The former president received a standing ovation before taking the podium to deliver his captivating speech
The father of two expressed how "grateful" and "humbled" he was to be this year's recipient of the Courage Award, and explained how the honour will act as a reminder to keep JFK's spirit alive while he continues to serve the country.
"And I take this honour as a reminder that, even out of office, I must do all that I can to advance the spirit of service that John F. Kennedy represents," noted Barack.
Many familiar faces attended the black-tie gala including former Vice President and Barack's BFF Joe Biden, as well as former late-night TV host David Letterman. Obama is only the third president to receive the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award since it was introduced in 1989. Gerald Ford was given the award in 2001 and George H.W. Bush was the recipient in 2014.