Walsh: Mayor Menino Put Boston Residents First
BOSTON (CBS) -- Boston Mayor Marty Walsh remembered former Mayor Tom Menino as a leader who made the city a better place on Thursday.
Speaking outside City Hall just hours after the long-serving mayor's passing, Walsh said Menino dedicated a lifetime of service to Boston and changed the face of the city.
WATCH: Mayor Walsh Remembers Tom Menino
"Today, the city of Boston mourns together," Walsh said. "He put us on a world stage."
It was no surprise that more than half of the people in Boston had met Menino, Walsh said.
"He made sure government served the people, not the other way around," Walsh said. "Even in the last stages of his illness, his concerns first and foremost was to put Boston and its people first."
Walsh also shared details of his final phone conversation with Menino, who spoke from his hospital bed.
"He said, 'you're going to be a great mayor as long as you take care of the city of Boston and keep the people first,'" Walsh said. "His last concern to me was the people of Boston."
The lasting lesson Walsh will take away from Menino is "being in the neighborhoods," he said.
"He always talked about the people and making sure he delivered the services," Walsh said. "It wasn't about the headlines, it was about making sure people always come first."
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