The nation bid farewell Thursday to Sen. Dianne Feinstein outside San Francisco City Hall, where speakers included Vice President Kamala Harris and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. But it was her granddaughter, Eileen Mariano, who closed the memorial by honoring Feinstein in an emotional and powerful way.
Mariano, who works for Mayor London Breed’s office, described the strong bond she had with Feinstein, saying they had an immediate connection.
“She will be remembered as the most incredible grandmother,” she said. “Minutes after I was born, at the hospital, she exclaimed to my mom and dad, ‘Oh wow she looks just like me, you should change her name to Dianne.’”
Mariano always admired her grandmother, even writing a book about Feinstein when she was just 6 years old titled, “Meet my Grandmother: She’s a United States Senator.”
It was a biography on Feinstein through her eyes that she wrote with the help of co-author Lisa Tucker McElroy.
Mariano described spending time with Feinstein as a toddler and a young child, saying they’d play hide and seek and have sleepovers when her grandmother was in San Francisco.
There, they’d pick flowers, play chess, watch movies and at the end of the day, Feinstein would sing, “You Are My Sunshine” to her before bed.
She listed all the things the senator did for the city of San Francisco and for the entire country, but as a grandmother, Mariano said Feinstein was her biggest cheerleader and support system.
"She was a constant and unyielding source of love," Mariano said.
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She shared some pieces of advice Feinstein gave her, including one that made the crowd smile.
"She would also say to me, if you ever go out of town, no matter where you're going ... always pack a black pantsuit; there is no occasion to which you can't wear a lack pantsuit," she said.
"So to my grandmother, I promise to always work to my long suit, to earn my spurs, to keep going no matter what, and to never forget my black pantsuit. Your family loves you, we are so proud of you, we miss you, and you will always, always be my sunshine," Mariano said.
