BUTLER, Mo. — Have you ever thought about writing the President a letter full of your opinions? A man from Butler, Missouri did but never guessed what would happen next.
The White House called him and asked him and his wife to be guests for the State of the Union.
“Every day we get thousands of emails at the White House from Americans across the country,” President Barack Obama said in a video posted on the White House website.
Out of those 7,000 per day, Victor Fugate’s was chosen.
Suddenly the letter that Fugate wrote in Butler, Missouri was the hands of President Obama in Washington, DC.
“I thought it was a prank,” said Fugate.
Fugate got a call from the White House and after a lot of convincing started realizing it was real. Officials asked him to introduce the President at the Uptown Theatre last summer, to which he of course said yes.
“They said ‘he wants to discuss his issues with you,’” said Fugate.
The two sat down for lunch and Fugate told the President how much the Affordable Health Care Act helped keep his family afloat. Fugate says he also spoke about some of his struggles.
He mentioned in his letter how hard it was for a lot of people he knows to afford a college education and hopes more grants and opportunities will be created for them. Fugate was pleased with the conversation and said goodbye to the President.
“I thought that was going to be the end of it,” he said.
But recently he got another call, asking him and his wife to be guests at the State of the Union.
“It was pretty amazing. I got a couple of phone calls asking if I would be interested in reconnecting with the President…of course! Yes!” Fugate said.
Fugate had to keep it a secret for a while, only telling his wife.
“Of course I had to get my wardrobe approved through her,” he said.
Now they’re both on their way to the White House, and to think it all started with a piece of paper and a pen.
“This is proof that there is a chance that you can have a chance and advocate for different issues that affect you. I think the best thing to do is to get involved however possible,” said Fugate.
Fugate is one of three people in the whole country that’s been invited as guests of the State of the Union. His flight for DC leaves Monday morning.
