James “Radio” Kennedy (1946–2019), inspiration for the film “Radio”

James “Radio” Kennedy was the mentally disabled man who inspired the 2003 hit movie “Radio.” He was an inspirational figure for the T.L. Hanna High School football team in Anderson, South Carolina. Kennedy was nicknamed “Radio” when he started showing up at the team’s football practices holding a transistor radio to his head. T.L. Hanna’s football coach Harold Jones formed a bond withKennedyand he became an inspirational figure on the sidelines at the teame28099s games for many years. The town embracedKennedyand he took classes at the high school though he could not read orwriteand he was given permanent status as a junior at the school so he would not have to graduate and leave.