The following was submitted by Jim Worthington, owner of the Newtown Athletic Club and founder of People4Trump:
“Four years ago today, I hosted then candidate Donald Trump at my Field House in Newtown. The entire goal of doing so was to get time for Matt Bellina and I to push the Right to Try bill with him.
“Matt, as many of you know, has ALS – a terminal disease that takes the life of 90 percent of all who are afflicted within 3 to 5 years. Here is a picture of that discussion. Candidate Trump listened intently to our argument on why the terminally ill should not be forced to leave their own country to try potentially lifesaving or life prolonging drugs in other parts of the world.
“From the beginning, it was apparent that candidate Trump was not aware of this situation or even the Right to Try bill that was in Congress. But as the discussion went on, you could see him nodding, shaking his head a bit, somewhat frustrated by what we were telling him, that Americans were dying with no hope, no options.
“After almost 20 minutes, Matt and I felt we had made our case, yet in any situation where you are passionate about something, you always want the discussion to go a bit further hoping you can close with one more point. Well, in this case, it did and that was the moment I knew candidate Trump needed to be our President. Matt, from his wheelchair, looked up at the towering figure and said as his closing comment, ‘Mr. Trump. This issue will poll very well,’ obviously insinuating that it would get him more votes. Without hesitation, Donald Trump, in a firm but respectful voice, pointed directly at Matt and stated the following powerful words – ‘I don’t give a damn how it polls. This is right for Americans.’
“To this day, I can still vividly remember hearing those words. That was the moment I knew that this man, no matter what you think of his style, personality, etc., was the right person to lead this country, for he loves America and will always put America first.
“We shook hands, took pictures with him and then minutes later, he addressed 4,000 Trump supporters inside my facility with another 5,000 outside. It was a night that no one in attendance will ever forget.
“Two weeks later, Donald Trump became President of the United States and on May 31, 2018, he signed into law the Right to Try bill that is named after Matt Bellina and three other terminally ill warriors.
“So, if you ever wondered why I am so passionate about supporting President Trump and risk my financial wellbeing and endure public scorn to see him reelected, this story tells you why.
“Promises made promises kept by a man who truly loves his country.”
