Biden's first public remarks since cancer diagnosis honor Gold Star families

Former President Joe Biden on Friday honored fallen service members and Gold Star families at a Memorial Day service in Delaware, marking his first public remarks since announcing he was diagnosed with prostate cancer.

"We come together and remember the debt we owe to the American military," Biden said at the event, sponsored by the Delaware Commission of Veteran Affairs. 

"The military is a solid spine, the spine of our nation," he said. "Our troops, our veterans, our military families, and our Gold Star families in particular. Only around 1% of all Americans defend 99% of us - 1%. Just 1% of Americans risk the ultimate sacrifice. We owe them so much more than we can ever repay them."

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A Gold Star family is the immediate family of service members who died while serving in the line of duty. 

For the Biden family, the day is deeply personal as May 30 marks 10 years since Biden's son Beau died of brain cancer. He served in the Delaware Army National Guard for more than 10 years, completing a tour in Iraq where he earned the Bronze Star for his service, and became the state's attorney general before his death. 

Biden said that his son's proudest moment was wearing his uniform and said appearing at the event eased the pain of the loss of his son. He also offered some words of encouragement to others suffering loss as well. 

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"Everyone who came here today to grieve, who was grieving in your heart, please know you're not alone," Biden said. "You'll never be alone. And your loved one will never be forgotten. Period." 

Biden said that Beau Biden's son, Hunter, 19, was present at the event, while he reminisced about attending the exact same Memorial Day event as a senator with Beau Biden around the same age. 

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The former president also said that politics has become divided, but that the sacrifices of those in the military to defend democracy should unite everyone. 

"Our troops don't wear a uniform that says I'm a Democrat or a Republican, says I'm an American," Biden said. "I'm an American. That's who I am." 

Biden announced on May 18 that he had been diagnosed with an "aggressive form" of prostate cancer. The former president's office later said he had never received a prostate cancer diagnosis.  

The announcement came amid heightened scrutiny about Biden's mental fitness for office, following the publication of multiple books this year chronicling the deterioration of Biden's mental faculties. 

Likewise, leaked audio recordings of Biden's October 2023 interview with former special counsel Robert Hur were released in May, showing that Biden struggled to not slur his words and even appeared to forget the year his son died.