If you have attended any of the presentations in the Herald-Star Speaker Series, you have had the chance to hear from — and meet — some pretty interesting people.

Tony and Jonna Mendez, for example, were among the nation’s top CIA agents. Masters of disguise, they shared details of how the illusions they created helped to pull off some dramatic work — including Tony’s efforts in 1980 that led to the rescue of six American diplomats who had been hiding in Iran. It’s a story that was dramatized in the Oscar-winning film “Argo,” in which Mendez was portrayed by Ben Affleck.

Retired Air Force Col. Mark Tillman, meanwhile, shared what it was like to be the pilot in charge of Air Force One — a task that carries enormous responsibility every day, but especially on Sept. 11, 2001, when he was charged with protecting President George W. Bush and delivering him safely to Washington, D.C., in the wake of the terror attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and Pentagon and the crash of a commercial jetliner in Shanksville, Pa.

Richard Phillips was a seasoned merchant mariner who was captured by Somali pirates and held hostage as the world looked on. He described in great detail how he survived and the tense moments that led up to his rescue by Navy SEALS. It’s a story that was dramatized in the film “Captain Phillips,” in which he was portrayed by Tom Hanks.

Retired Air Force Gen. Michael Hayden brought an insider’s view of the world to town. The Pittsburgh native served as the director of the National Security and Central Intelligence agencies.

Rebekah Gregory shared her story of survival after being severely injured during the 2013 terror attack at the Boston Marathon, and Mark Geist offered a harrowing account of his work on the annex security team that was involved in the Battle of Benghazi, which was the basis of the film “13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi.”

John Quinones talked about his work to reach the top levels of journalism; Matthew Charles shared the importance of second chances; Jeanine Pirro brought her perspective on the world to town; Eddie Olczyk discussed the effort it took to become a player and a coach in the National Hockey League, which led to his job as a commentator — and his fight against colon cancer; and Steubenville-native and Wintersville High School graduate Jeff Hatcher discussed his work as a screenwriter and playwright.

Each of the evenings was special, each of the stories interesting. And it all began on Nov. 14, 2012, when Clint Hill and Lisa McCubbin took to the stage in the Steubenville High School auditorium.

That evening immediately came to mind Tuesday afternoon when word came that Hill had died Feb. 21 at the age of 93.

Hill was the Secret Service agent who jumped onto the back of the limousine that was carrying President John F. Kennedy after Kennedy was mortally wounded in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963. The presentation was based on the book “Mrs. Kennedy and Me” that Hill wrote with McCubbin, a journalist who, in 2021, would become his wife.

With McCubbin serving as a moderator and asking questions, Hill told how he rose to become the agent in charge of Jacqueline Kennedy’s protective detail.

Now-retired reporter Dave Gossett wrote in his coverage of the presentation that Hill vividly recalled “details of the Kennedy family that were at times funny, moving and, finally, very sad.”

Hill would eventually become head of the presidential protective detail and later assistant director of the Secret Service before choosing to retire in the mid-1970s at the age of 43 because of the trauma left by the assassination.

McCubbin and Hill seemed to enjoy their trip to the city, enjoying a late lunch at Naples and taking part in a VIP reception at the Bayberry House Bed and Breakfast before the presentation, which was attended by more than 800 residents from across the Tri-State Area. They remained in the auditorium long after the presentation, signing books and shaking hands with many of those who had attended.

It was an interesting ticket to get — likely because of the opportunity to hear Hill offer insight that can only come from a person who was a participant in an historical event. Some people no doubt attended to hear about the mystique that surrounded the Kennedys, others attended simply because it was a chance to see the type of presentation residents of towns our size seldom have access to.

“I thought tonight was wonderful because we have his perspective on that part of history,” Ann Koon, who was then the director of public information for Eastern Gateway Community College, told Gossett.

“His memory is still very remarkable and we were fortunate to have Hill share his story with us. You could feel the pulse in the room when he started talking about Texas. You know what is coming and I think everyone dreaded hearing about that day. But it was unique hearing about that day from his perspective.”

It was a sentiment shared by Sue Hershey, who at the time was the president of the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce and had worked with Alex Marshall, who at the time was the publisher of the Herald-Star and The Weirton Daily Times, to get the series started.

“Tonight was touching and sad,” she told Gossett. “At times, we literally held our breath.”

The success of that appearance by Hill helped to launch what has become a successful series. It’s appropriate, then, to have been saddened to learn of his death while remembering that mid-November evening when he shared his story on that stage in Steubenville.

(Gallabrese, a resident of Steubenville, is executive editor of the Herald-Star and The Weirton Daily Times.)