Dear Sir,

Rest in peace, Sir John. A true giant of Bermudian history.

As a Bermudian, I believe Sir John Swan serves as a living example of the power and possibility granted to each and every one of us born on these shores. His life is a reminder of the potential we possess here — not as individuals alone, but as a community. When one of us rises, we all rise. Sir John rose higher than most, and in doing so, showed the rest of us just how far we can go.

I think that anybody who has ever met Sir John Swan has felt these exact sentiments. And aside from politics, his place in Bermuda's history was never just about the role he played as a politician. He was a person for the people. The warmth of his heart was a gift. Very few politicians in Bermuda's history have had that distinct presence, and that is precisely what separated him from the rest.

Most people were captivated not just by his accomplishments, but by his energy and his heart. As a legacy builder and a great politician, he elevated our reputation in the world through the risks he was willing to take. Amid all of the opposition and opinions he would have faced — simply by virtue of being the politician he was — he remained steadfast.

He bridged a gap that, without him, as one of the last surviving colonies, we may not have crossed. His bravery, his mission, his soul, his spirit, and his heart were paramount to so many aspects of where we stand today.

In contrast to being enthralled by his accomplishments, few have spoken of his impact as a human being. There are very few politicians who could ever be revered in such a way. His profound influence on the business community and in real estate — helping to support both Black and White businesses and creating change at a time when it was most necessary — places him in a rank all his own as a Knighted son of Bermuda.

His generational legacy lives on, and I am sure he would want to be remembered not only for his achievements, but for the kind of man he was to every single person he encountered.

Myrtle Burrows, the matriarch of North Village, Pembroke, up to the age of 106 years old, always spoke of Sir John Swan — because what really matters in Bermuda is having a heart. Being a Bermudian that he would say hello to. That he would remember. That he greeted with an open, golden spirit.

As Mr Allister Simmons so aptly reminds us, it was the warmth Sir John exemplified every single day that truly makes him memorable. And that is why he will never be forgotten.

NATALIE SIMMONS-MORAN

Warwick