'I love you all and I will see you soon,' Boston civil rights pioneer Jean McGuire says in first statement since stabbing
BOSTON - Boston civil rights pioneer Jean McGuire issued her first statement Friday days after she was stabbed in Franklin Park, saying "I love you all and I will see you soon."
McGuire, who is 91 years old, was stabbed in a seemingly random attack as she walked her dog in Franklin Park near her home in Roxbury Tuesday night. Her attacker escaped and there have been no arrests in the case.
McGuire is the first Black woman on the Boston School Committee and a former director of the METCO desegregation program.
She is still in the hospital, but is expected to make a full recovery. Her stabbing sparked outrage among faith and community leaders and the neighborhood.
Her family said in the statement they "greatly appreciate the outpouring of love and support that we have received from people in the Greater Boston area, across Massachusetts, and around the world."
Here is the entire statement from her family:
The family of Jean McGuire would like to thank all of the doctors and dedicated health care workers who are assisting in her recovery. We greatly appreciate the outpouring of love and support that we have received from people in the Greater Boston area, across Massachusetts, and around the world.
Jean has spent her entire professional life fighting for all families to have the best educational opportunities to achieve their dreams. In her words, "We as a community can never forget that we need to stand together and continue working to empower our children through learning. We are at our best as a people; when it's about 'we' not 'me'. I love you all and I will see you soon."
For those looking to support Jean's legacy, she and her family will ask people to direct donations to a nonprofit fund currently in development that will help promote the education of the children of greater New England. The family will make a formal announcement introducing the establishment of the fund in coming weeks.
