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Wellstone's Son Reflects On 10th Year Since Father's Death

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- David Wellstone still has people come up to him, and share a story about his father, who died in a plane crash in Northern Minnesota 10 years ago this week.

He was eating breakfast Oct. 25, 2002, when he got a call about the crash. He said he felt compelled to drive to the site, alone.

"I think I went on auto pilot. I needed to get up there," he said.

Podcast

David Wellstone said he went through a great deal of grief, and even depression, which prompted him to write a book.

"Becoming Wellstone" has just been released. He wanted his experience to maybe help others going through grief.

"Things like paying your bills don't matter really anymore, you just don't care anymore. But people don't like to admit that, but it was easy for me to admit, because it's not who I am, but it was who I was at that point," Wellstone said.

Wellstone said in the aftermath of his father's death, people wanted to share their own stories about his father, but that was difficult for him to hear.

"I think people wanted to let me know how much they were touched by it. But when it's your own family you can't give any sort of comfort to folks," he said.

David Wellstone said his father was a wonderful person, who loved sports, especially watching his kids.

"I don't think he ever missed a wrestling match or a soccer game or a track meet, we never missed each other's stuff," he said.

Wellstone says he moved away for a while, but is now living back in Minnesota.

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