Pell funeral: A chance to say thanks for an opportunity
2:23 PM Mon, Jan 05, 2009 | Permalink
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It took him 24 years, but Manuel Biadog finally got to thank former U.S. Sen. Claiborne Pell when he met him in November of 2007. Biadog says he never would have been able to attend college if not for a Pell Grant. A native of the Philippines, Biadog graduated from William Carey University in Mississippi in 1983 and is now the command chaplain of Naval Station Newport. Visiting the Pell Center to pay his respects today, Biadog recalled meeting Pell in November 2007. "I was so glad I was able to thank him," Biadog said. Pell, who suffered from Parkinson's disease, could not speak, but Biadog could see that Pell appreciated his gratitude. Biadog said, "I saw the change in the expression on his face." -- Journal staff writer Kate Bramson 
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Kate Bramson,
Thank you and JOB-WELL-DONE on your PROJO Pell Funeral article this afternoon, Monday 5 January 2009! Yes, I was so happy to finally met SEN Pell on 11 Nov 2007. It happened right after we dedicated the Rhode Island WWII Memorial, Providence, RI. I thanked SEN Pell for working so hard in sponsoring the Pell Grant Program during his service in Congress.
It was indeed a privileged to be among the 500 plus relatives, friends, and mourners in attendance during my hero's (SEN Claiborne Pell) celebration of life at his funeral at the historic Trinity Episcopal Church, Newport, RI.
Chaplain Manuel (Don) Biadog, Jr.
Commander, Chaplain Corps, United States Navy
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Senator Pell will be sorely missed. I worked for the Senator in Washington from '63 through the '66 election, and was privileged to know and learn from this man of incredible vision. During those years on Sunday evening there was an overnight train from Providence to Washington, arriving at 8 AM at Union Station, right next to the Old Senate Office building where the Senator's office was. He would stroll into the office,looking somewhat rumpled, and hand me a legal pad on which he had written about 25 - 50 pages in his doctor's handwriting, which had been constantly jiggled by the not so level railroad bed. One of my jobs was to decifer this and type it as best I could. This turned out to be his book on the Northeast Corridor Rail system, which led to our faster train system. There would be other legal pads on "sea grant colleges", arts and humanities and education. This was all during his first term in office, so with his vision and his perserverance, all of these programs came to fruition. We have lost a true visionary and we will miss him. Hopefully, there are others like him out there---somewhere!
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A simple man, yet a wealthy man, who served honorably for so many years. Who today is remembered for his dedication and for diligently serving the people with his hard work and his honesty. What a breath of freshness he gave to us. My Dad admired him so very much; my Dad passed away in 2006 at the age of 93yrs. I have many Christmas cards saved through the years that my family received from the late Senator Pell all of his beautiful and large family. My Dad was from the Senator Pastore, Senator Pell eras. Rhode Island was very fortunate to have such incredible individuals serve in such important positions bringing to society their great contributions. For this Rhode Islander's can be proud of their small state.
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