Former Vice President Joe Biden on Losing His Son Beau: "It's Not Like the Pain Ever Goes Away"

Former Vice President Joe Biden has had to deal with unimaginable family tragedy over the course of his life. In 1972, his first wife, Neilia, and his 13-month-old daughter, Naomi, were killed in an automobile accident. His sons, Beau and Hunter, who were ages 4 and 3, respectively, were injured but survived. Then, in 2015, at age 46, Beau, a decorated war veteran and Delaware's attorney general, lost his battle with brain cancer.

The loss of his son, Vice President Biden says during his Super Soul Sunday conversation with Oprah, is still something he's struggling to come to terms with. "I sometimes find myself—say something about him, and I can't handle it. I start to break down. So, it's not like the pain ever goes away. But what I do is I look at my grandson, his son, and I see him. I look at my granddaughter. I see her. And I know he's still here. I know he's still with me."

Here, the former vice president reflects on what has helped him cope with loss and heartbreak over the years, and celebrates Beau's considerable accomplishments and character.

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