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A relative of Gus Hart '37 recalls how the problems of others 'became his own'

We had gathered for a family dinner that night. The younger members of the family — my cousins, siblings, some friends and I — were grouped together outside on the porch while the elders were inside at the dining room table.

At the end of the our dinner, Gus rose from the head of the table and joined us outside. He pulled up a chair, and immediately we fell silent, as if some royal had intruded upon our casual conversation.

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Uncle Gus, as my siblings and I called him, asked us to go around and explain what current topic or event we thought was the most pressing issue for our generation.

During the next hour or so, each of us expressed our opinion about problems that impact our own lives and that may impact our futures.

Although he was a talented storyteller himself, Gus never uttered a word while we were speaking. He simply nodded his head and acknowledged our answers.

Although at the time each of us had wanted to impress Uncle Gus — an extremely accomplished and educated man himself — it was clear that what he really wanted was some insight into the lives of his young relatives.

Gus was selflessly invested in the welfare of the people around him; their problems became his own.

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