We all filed out of the conference room and walked back down the hall toward Beau's room feeling hopeful, holding on to the idea that he might pull o… - Joe Biden

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We all filed out of the conference room and walked back down the hall toward Beau's room feeling hopeful, holding on to the idea that he might pull out of this again. But then we heard Howard's voice behind us. 'You've got to come back,' he said, as he steered us again to the conference room. 'You have to tell them the truth.' Howard said to the doctors still assembled. What was happening in Beau's brain was no longer reversible, the doctors said. There was no saving Beau. 'He will not recover.'

Those were the most devastating four words I have ever heard in my life. 'He will not recover.' But goddammit, I still wanted to believe-maybe-maybe something will happen.