San Francisco residents recall Sen. Feinstein's time in the city at public viewing
SAN FRANCISCO — Mourners at San Francisco City Hall on Wednesday reminisced about Sen. Dianne Feinstein's time in the city and the impact she had.
Tracy Griffin vividly remembers the day her mother Gladys brought her to city hall and marched up the stairs, looking for then-Mayor Feinstein.
"My mom was asking, 'Where is Dianne?'" said Griffin.
Saying her final goodbye, Tracy wrote a letter, on behalf of her mother.
"Thank you for all your assistance in helping my mother. Rest in peace, Gladys Fontenot," said Griffin.
Her mother was a fierce advocate asking for resources to help marginalized residents from Hunter's Point. She found an unlikely friend in Feinstein, on the other side of the city.
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"There's a problem, 'I really need you to help me'," recalled Griffin.
Griffin can't recall what her mother Gladys was asking for, but she remembers the tone of desperation and urgency.
"I was nudging my mom and saying you're hollering at this lady," said Griffin.
Like many others, the life-long San Franciscan waited in line and shared a moment the late Senator may not have remembered but her family did.
"Dianne was so humble. She said, 'Gladys I'm going to take care of it. I promise'," said Griffin.
Some, who never even had a chance to meet Feinstein, wiping away tears for what the long-time politician fought for after a gunman on Nov. 27, 1978, assassinated two of the city's trailblazing leaders.
"She helped lead us through those crises and helped us through the AIDS crisis as well. I think she's been incredibly supportive of our city, and I think she really was for our state," said Rand Salwasser.
"She was a trailblazer. She tried to bring San Francisco together as a community," said Griffin.
"She stood for women's rights. She loves San Francisco. She was for gay rights, for women, for women in politics, trying to bring Republicans and Democrats together," said Mary Peabody.
"We need more women like her. We're going to miss her, but the work goes on. It has to go on," said Peabody.