Happy 250th Birthday America

Last night, I stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and looked across the Reflecting Pool toward the Washington Monument.

For several minutes, I couldn’t move.

I couldn’t even find the words.

Because I wasn’t just looking at one of America’s most recognizable landmarks.

To me…

I was looking at America’s birthday candle.

One brilliant flame reaching into the night sky as our nation celebrates 250 years of freedom, courage, sacrifice, and the countless ordinary Americans whose stories have quietly become part of our nation’s story.

As its reflection shimmered across the water, something inside me broke loose.

I found myself fighting back tears.

Not because I was sad.

But because I was overwhelmed with gratitude.

In that moment, 528 days disappeared.

I was suddenly back outside Capital One Arena on January 20, 2025.

The freezing temperatures.

The longest wait of my life.

The uncertainty.

And yet…

The hope.

I remember standing there as an ordinary American from Mound, Minnesota.

No political connections.

No special access.

No media credentials.

Just a shy kid who had grown into a 34-year-old man who loved his country enough to travel across America with one simple hope—to speak five heartfelt words from the depths of his soul.

“We love you, Mr. President.”

I had absolutely no idea that when those arena doors opened, I wasn’t simply walking into a building.

I was walking into the defining chapter of my life.

When the President looked my way…

When the First Lady acknowledged me…

Those few seconds passed almost as quickly as they arrived.

Yet they have echoed through every day since.

At the time, I thought it would simply become one of my favorite memories.

I never imagined what would follow.

I never imagined receiving three responses from the White House, including a hand-signed letter from the President of the United States.

I never imagined that one ordinary moment would inspire me to preserve every photograph, every memory, every document, and every emotion from that day.

When this journey began, I believed someone else might help tell the story.

I reached out to media organizations.

I shared it with podcasts.

I hoped someone would see what I saw—that this wasn’t simply about one interaction, but about the power of one ordinary citizen believing his voice mattered.

Most of my outreach went unanswered.

For a while, that silence hurt.

Then I realized something that quietly changed my life.

No one will ever tell your story with the same heart as the person who lived it.

So I stopped waiting.

I built www.weloveyoumrpresident.com.

Every page.

Every photograph.

Every timeline.

Every letter.

Every memory.

Not because I wanted attention.

But because I wanted the story to have a home.

Because I wanted to preserve a moment that reminded me—and perhaps others—that sincerity, perseverance, and love for your country still matter.

Today, that story has reached more than 6,500 visitors from 42 countries.

That still amazes me.

What began as one voice inside Capital One Arena has quietly reached people around the world.

As I returned to Washington for America’s 250th birthday, complete strangers stopped to ask about the journey.

Each conversation reminded me that kindness still has a way of finding its way into people’s hearts.

Standing there beneath America’s birthday candle, another realization found me.

This journey was never only about one unforgettable day.

It was about becoming the person I was always meant to be.

For much of my life, I quietly wondered if anyone would ever truly know me.

Not simply know my name.

Not know me because of one moment.

Not because of a photograph.

Not because of a letter.

But because they wanted to understand the heart behind it all.

The shy kid from Mound, Minnesota.

The man who believed love for his country was worth expressing, even if no one was listening.

The person who kept believing through unanswered emails, closed doors, and quiet disappointments.

As I watched the Washington Monument glowing over the Reflecting Pool, I found myself praying something I have carried in my heart for many years.

That someday, someone will have the courage to truly know me.

To sit across a table from me.

To hear the entire story.

To see beyond the headlines, beyond the photographs, beyond the website.

To discover the heart that has always been there.

Not because my story is extraordinary.

But because every human heart longs to be known.

If this journey has taught me anything, it is that the greatest gift we can give another person is not applause.

It is understanding.

I don’t know when that day will come.

Maybe it will be years from now.

Maybe it will arrive when I least expect it.

But for the first time in my life, I have hope.

Real hope.

Because this journey has reminded me that the most beautiful chapters of our lives often begin long before we realize we’re living them.

As I continue celebrating America’s 250th birthday here in Washington, my heart is overflowing with gratitude.

From one freezing January morning outside Capital One Arena…

To standing beneath what looked like America’s birthday candle…

It feels as though God has gently brought this chapter full circle.

I don’t know what the next chapter will hold.

But I know this:

Hope is never wasted.

Kindness is never wasted.

Faith is never wasted.

Love for your country is never wasted.

And no life is ever too ordinary to matter.

Happy 250th Birthday, America.

Thank you for reminding me that history is not only shaped by presidents, monuments, or famous names.

It is also shaped by ordinary citizens who dare to stand up, speak from the heart, and keep believing.

May America’s birthday candle continue to shine brightly for generations yet to come.

God bless America. 🇺🇸