By Gurmukh Singh, IANS
Vancouver : A Vancouver-based man has come out to claim that he is the illegitimate son of the late US president John F. Kennedy.
After a story in the New York Post last week that Vanity Fair was about to run a story about him but stopped on the insistence of Ted Kennedy, JFK’s brother and Massachusetts senator, the man named Jack approached the Globe and Mail Saturday to reveal his story to avoid what he called media hunt.
“The story was out and I thought that it might be best to approach you directly rather than have people make guesses, assumptions,” he told the newspaper.
Jack, who reportedly has the striking features of JFK, the 35th president of the US, said people often stopped him on the street. “Not in a funny way, but in a scary way.”
Described as tall, slim, with a freckled complexion, hazel eyes, and thick reddish-brown hair, parted on the left, swept across his forehead, the newspaper said: “He has perfectly straight teeth – Kennedy teeth one might be tempted to say. Sitting across from him, the term boyish comes to mind.”
Asked how he reacted when people told he looked like JFK, he said, “Smile. Go on. Watch over my shoulder.”
Since Vanity Fair, which worked for 18 months on the story, wanted proof from Ted about the existence of Jack before carrying the story, Jack now wants the Kennedy clan to submit DNA samples for proof of his fatherhood.
“Vanity Fair needs help. We need JFK DNA and, barring that, DNA from any male Kennedy directly related to Joe Kennedy [JFK’s father], either in the US or Ireland [for a Y chromosome analysis],” he said.
He said these samples should be given Vanity Fair journalist David Friend who uncovered the story.
Jack revealed he was a businessman with international connections. “He appeared well-heeled, dressed in brown leather shoes and a preppy white-shirt/grey V-neck sweater combination under a charcoal blazer, paired with blue pants. He wore a smart wool coat, purchased overseas. If his clothing is any indication, he is a man of some means,” the newspaper said.
He says he is no gold digger and wants no money from the Kennedy clan once JFK was proved his father.
“I told Vanity Fair that I would sign an agreement with the Kennedys immediately, in which I agree not to pursue any financial remuneration from the JFK estate whatsoever.”
He said his revelations would have “potentially profound impact” on the Kennedys.
“This isn’t a story about the fairly silly, trivial ‘discovery’ of JFK’s illegitimate son, although it appears that way.”
Jack, who is in his late 40s, said he never met JFK, though they shared some time on this earth before he was assassinated Nov 22, 1963.
“I had a fantastic father-son relationship with the man who raised me,” he said. He didn’t say anything about his mother who was said to be from Texas. She was introduced to JFK by Lyndon Johnson.
Jack said he grew up in the US and moved to British Columbia recently in Canada as his wife is Canadian. He said he has children and that his “in-laws are fired up that we’re here”.
Given the Kennedy family history, he said he was nervous and agonizing about the outcome of his revelations for his family and that he was not prepared to deal with that just yet.