�He took me as a son; I ask you to take heart because you are not alone in our grief�you have lost a son...i gained a father when he took me as his vice president and even though you�ve lost a great son, I think you�ve gained a son (in me). I hope you will accept me as your son...,� these were the sobering words of President John Dramani Mahama when he paid a courtesy call on the family of the late Prof. John Evans Atta Mills.