The iconic Secret Service agent Clint Hill, who rushed to protect President John F. Kennedy during the fateful assassination in 1963, has died at 93 years old. Hill's life was marked by his courageous actions that day and the profound guilt that haunted him afterward.
A Hero's Legacy: Clint Hill, the Agent Who Tried to Save JFK, Passes Away at 93
A Hero's Legacy: Clint Hill, the Agent Who Tried to Save JFK, Passes Away at 93
Clint Hill's leap onto JFK's limousine remains one of the most iconic acts of bravery during the assassination.
Clint Hill, the U.S. Secret Service agent renowned for his heroic and desperate leap onto John F. Kennedy's limousine during the assassination in Dallas, has died at the age of 93. Hill, who became an emblematic figure in one of history's most harrowing moments, succumbed in his California home, surrounded by his beloved wife, Lisa McCubbin, as confirmed by his publicist.
Assigned to safeguard Jacqueline Kennedy on that fateful day, November 22, 1963, Hill was in a trailing vehicle when gunfire erupted. Instinctively, he rushed toward the limousine, attempting to shield the first family as chaos enveloped Dallas. His actions, notably captured in the Zapruder film, showcased both courage and desperation.
Originally from North Dakota, Hill served in the Army before joining the Secret Service in 1958. His extraordinary response during the assassination earned him an award, leading to a distinguished career, eventually rising to the role of assistant director. However, the trauma stemming from the tragic event plagued him for decades, prompting an early retirement from the agency in 1975.
For years, Hill wrestled with guilt, convinced he could have altered the outcome that day. "If I had reacted five-tenths of a second faster... maybe I'd have been able to save him," he reflected in a poignant CBS interview. Despite later finding some peace with his actions, he carried that weight throughout his life.
In 2009, Hill found a renewed purpose, collaborating with journalist Lisa McCubbin on a bestselling memoir, "Mrs. Kennedy and Me." The couple fell deeply in love and eventually married in 2021.
While Hill's actions during the assassination cemented his place in history, it was his journey of reflection and healing that resonates deeply, leaving behind a legacy of courage, vulnerability, and love. A cause of death has not yet been disclosed.
