During his 46 years in office, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy has touched the lives of countless Massachusetts citizens in ways big and small. Here are a few of the stories readers have shared with us this week. Send your account of how the senator helped you, your family or your community to citydesk@bostonherald.com, or call 617-619-6461. Please include your name and phone number.

A soldier’s story
I was serving in Vietnam in 1969-1970 and was a month from my tour ending when my mother suffered a heart attack. I tried to get a compassionate reassignment to be stationed near Boston so I could care for my mom – I was the oldest of five kids. No one would help until I got Ted Kennedy. Kennedy got me reassigned to Danvers and I was able to help my mom because of it. It was great on his part and I’ve been appreciative all these years. — Charles Livingstone, East Boston.

Aid for a student
My mother died suddenly of a heart attack in May 1967 at only 54. She died where she worked, at a nursing home. I guess I thought to myself we should be grateful, because my younger sister and I had had her 15 years longer than we did our father. Now here I was the oldest, a junior in college, and totally responsible for my younger sister who was a senior in high school. We lived in public housing in Cambridge and I had no job except for work-study at Boston State. I wanted to stay in school and finish my B.A. in education and my sister wanted to begin in the fall, but first I had a funeral to arrange.

There were no relatives to help out, but people were amazing. No one had much, but small donations from neighbors and friends helped pay the bills for a while. After a couple of months, I realized that unless the Social Security we were eligible for arrived soon, I would not be able to pay the rent, the bills and our college tuition. I was working for the Cambridge Recreation Summer Program, but the checks were delayed. I had about 20 dollars to my name.

Someone told me to call Sen. Edward Kennedy’s office. I had never asked for help from anyone — but this time I had no choice. I called the senator and explained the predicament with our Social Security benefits. Within days I received a telegram from Sen. Kennedy’s office stating that they had contacted Social Security and our monthly checks would begin arriving shortly. They did.

My sister and I survived, and I just retired from teaching 7th and 8th grade English. Thanks to Ted Kennedy, I finished my education and made my mother and father very proud. I have never forgotten what he did for my sister and me. — Elizabeth E. Healey, Arlington

Help for a brother
Senator Kennedy gained our love and respect for helping my brother. My brother was receiving a small SSI disability pension. Due to an error, he was being overpaid. Then he started receiving nasty letters demanding amounts of money he did not, nor could not get. When the issue couldn’t be resolved on the local level, my brother sought the help of Sen. Kennedy. One letter was all it took. My brother passed away in 2005. I know he would want everyone to know what a GOOD man the senator is and how he truly cares for all his constituents. — Joan Polito, Rockland

The history project
Two years ago, I received an invitation to play at the Hyannisport Country Club from an old college friend. Since it was the weekend, I decided to take my wife and 10-year-old daughter down to the Cape. During the ride down we talked about a history project my daughter was working on, focusing on JFK. As my wife dropped me off in the lot below the clubhouse, a golf cart with a black dog in the back came around the corner. The guy driving the cart was Teddy, and he offered me a ride up to the clubhouse. I told Teddy that would be great — but could you do me a quick favor? I introduced my daughter and told her this was our senator, Ted Kennedy. She asked Ted if he knew John Kennedy, and Ted started to laugh. “Yes,” he said, “I knew him, he was a nice guy.” My daughter started to show Ted her history project and he told her that he might be able to help her get an A. He gave us a ride across the street to the Kennedy compound, and then let me take a picture of him and my daughter in front of the Kennedy home. My daughter received an A on the report. I shot a 100, but that did not matter — the senator made our family’s day. And to think I’m Republican! — Wayne Lamoureux, Wayland

A hospital visit
In 1981 my father, James Kelly, was working at the Carney Hospital in Dorchester as a construction worker when he fell off the parking garage and injured himself very badly. He was paralyzed from the waist down. Ted Kennedy came to the hospital on other business, but was told an Irishman had fallen and injured himself. Ted came to his hospital room and wished him the best. He just took that time out of his day to do that and it meant a lot to my father and it meant a lot to my family. I wish him the best and hope he recovers. He has always been a fighter. — Patricia Kelly, Brighton

How he changed Southbridge
The sad news regarding the illness of Sen. Kennedy has affected many. I am not shy to say I am one of them. My Ted Kennedy story is not about how the senator helped one individual, but an entire town of 17,000. Southbridge was a old company town known as the “Eye of the Commonwealth.” The entire town suffered when the American Optical Co. went out of business. The senator embarked on a decade-long campaign to bring an $89 million Defense Training Facility to Southbridge in the old AO complex. The project had its ups and downs -- but Kennedy the fighter never gave up. An $89 million training facility became a reality, assistance to the local fiber optic industry increased, and the Quinebaug Shetuckett National Heritage Corridor was extended. Affectionately, Senator Kennedy once called Southbridge “The Little Town That Could.”

Perhaps it’s this spirit that may be of greatest comfort to him in the months ahead -- never count anyone out of a fight until the battle is over. Please join me in extending our prayers and best wishes to the senator and his family. — Michael J. Coughlin of Westport, former Southbridge town manager

"Still my senator"
I grew up in Charlestown and as a kid the 17th of June parade was a real big thing -- everyone in town had their chairs on the sidewalks of the route hours ahead of time. Ted always participated in the parade. After the parade there was a get-together at the parade organizer’s home on Bunker Hill Street and Ted would attend. What struck me the most was how kind he was to all the children that were there. I remember they would climb all over him and he always had a nice suit on and it didn’t bother him in the least. Even though I now live in New Hampshire, I still consider him my senator. I wish him Godspeed for a quick recovery. — Pat Coughlin Jellison, Portsmouth, N.H.

Visits for Dad
I came to Boston from Kiev, Ukraine, in 2000 to join my mother, little sister, and my grandparents. My parents are divorced. In 2002, my father applied and was rejected for a tourist visa. We went to Sen. Kennedy’s office and asked for help. We supplied the documents that his office requested and the information was sent to the U.S. embassy in Kiev. My father’s visa was approved very quickly, even though most visa requests to America were being denied at that time. My father now visits Boston one or twice a year for the past six years. I feel very sad about Sen. Kennedy’s illness and thank him for what he has done for my family. — Yuliya Protenko, Melrose

Prayers for a hero
Believe it or not, the Kennedy family was always in my life. Ted was a hero to me. My father always talked about the Kennedy family and said if it wasn’t for them, he couldn’t have made it to the United States. To see him sick makes me sick. I hope the best for him. I am a Somalian woman, praying for Ted. — Hibo Essex, Milton