Victory Rally Sunday – Capital One Arena | January 19, 2025

I arrived in Washington, D.C., just after 2:00 a.m. Eastern on January 19, 2025, and walked straight to Capital One Arena to join thousands of supporters waiting for President Donald Trump's Victory Rally ahead of the 60th Presidential Inauguration.

The temperature hovered around 21°F as light snow drifted through downtown Washington. Despite the bitter cold, the excitement was unmistakable. The energy surrounding President Trump's return to the White House was electric, and I was right in the middle of it, experiencing a moment in American history that I knew I would remember for the rest of my life.

Just before 7:00 a.m., Fox News correspondent Griff Jenkins walked down the line and stopped in front of me. Moments later, I found myself being interviewed live on national television on Fox News—something I never imagined would happen when I stepped into line that morning.

If someone had told me that within twenty-four hours I'd experience an unforgettable moment with President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump inside Capital One Arena—and that less than a year later I'd be holding a hand-signed letter from the President—I would have smiled, pulled my jacket a little tighter, and kept waiting in the cold.

Sometimes the biggest chapters of your life begin with simply showing up.

Looking back, I realize that what began as a deeply patriotic weekend became something far greater than I could have imagined. I arrived in Washington filled with excitement about a presidential inauguration. I came away with an experience that would eventually teach me something much more personal about courage, perseverance, and the importance of using my own voice.

And perhaps the greatest lesson has been learning that you can stand firmly in what you believe while still respecting the humanity in everyone else.

We don't all have to agree politically to appreciate courage, kindness, determination, or the extraordinary possibilities that life can offer. I've learned to follow my heart, speak up for what matters to me, and appreciate the journey without needing everyone else to see the world exactly as I do.

Today, I carry those memories with gratitude and a sense of peace. I no longer feel the need to prove myself to everyone. I know what I experienced, I know what it meant to me, and I'm grateful for the unexpected doors it opened.

History may be shaped by presidents and institutions, but ordinary people have voices worth hearing, too.

Explore the rest of this website to discover the complete story—from President Trump's Victory Rally and the 2025 Presidential Inauguration to my unforgettable Inauguration Day moment, White House correspondence, the Presidential Records Act, and the journey that ultimately connected my story to the National Archives.

What began as one man's decision to show up in Washington became a lifelong reminder to follow your heart, believe in yourself, and never underestimate where your own voice might take you.

I have both of my tickets and my t-shirt I wore on Fox News framed. The original ticket for the outside ceremony, and then the ticket they gave us at Capital One Arena on January 20th, 2025