Fifty‑four years after John Lennon’s tragic death, a mix of old fans and a new generation of listeners gathered in Central Park on Monday to honor the Beatle’s legacy. At the park’s Strawberry Fields memorial, about 80 people—including Gen Z attendees who were born long after Lennon’s shooting—congregated to remember the icon.
“John’s the best. He’s my idol. He’s my everything and I love him so much,” said 19‑year‑old Niko Karchava, who traveled all the way from Georgia to stand with the other mourners. He added that he sees his music echoing through his own work: “I’m also a musician, and it’s kind of John’s influence on me that I try to create music to make people love each other, make people together again… people hate each other, they fight, and everything else.”
Musicians arrived at different times, and with the chill in the air, roughly 14 guitarists took turns playing Lennon’s catalog. The city was reminded that Mark David Chapman remains imprisoned after being convicted for the 1980 homicide.
Another fan, 17‑year‑old Crystal Nguyen, flew in from Spokane, Washington, with her mother and a close friend. She’d discovered the Beatles at age four when her preschool teacher organized a Beatles‑themed concert. The group’s interest was reignited after she saw Paul McCartney perform in Spokane in 2022. Her grandparents don’t speak English, but together they play guitar to share Lennon’s songs. She explained, “I see so much hatred in the world, and it’s just like, his music is like, just love each other, peace to everybody.”
During the event, an 18‑year‑old attendee left a handwritten letter at a makeshift memorial—an arrangement that featured a photo of Lennon, a guitar, a stack of flowers, and the word “Imagine” prominently displayed. In the note he wrote, “Thank you for all the memories you gave many people. I was born 18 years after your passing but you are still my greatest inspiration. I believe that the most significant was your message of peace and truth.”
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