The terminally ill man who wanted to speak to President Donald Trump before passing has had his wish fulfilled.
Jay Barrett of West Haven, Connecticut, had voted for Barack Obama in the 2008 election but was drawn to Trump because he liked his campaigning style and disagreed with Obama's Affordable Care Act, The Associated Press reported.
Recently starting palliative care, the cystic fibrosis sufferer mentioned his wish to meet the president. His sister Bridgette Hoskie, who describes herself as "100 percent Democrat" and is a West Haven City councilwoman, got to work immediately.
She put out the word on social media and tried to contact the White House. The story about the quest was reported by The New Haven Register and went national, leading the president's team to get in touch.
On Tuesday night, Barrett, 44, got the presidential call. The Register posted video of some of the conversation which Trump began by saying, "All right, Jay, you look handsome to me. I just saw a picture of you...How are you doing? How is it going, Jay?"
Barrett told Trump: "Mr. President, through thick and thin, you know there's been a lot of thicks, and there's been a lot of thins, I support you."
During the conversation Trump said he wanted him to come to a rally, adding: "I wish you could come. I know you like that stuff and I wish you could."
Barrett told the president said that "if you can pencil me in I'll find a way to get there." Trump responded by saying:"You'll be sitting front row, center."
Barrett told Trump he plans on coming down to D.C. "between now and my expiration date" and the president told Barrett he's a "champ" and would get a personal letter.
Trump added: "You're my kind of man, Jay... I'm very proud of you. I'll talk to you again, Jay, OK? You keep the fight going. We both fight."
Barrett told The Register that the president's son Eric Trump and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development regional chief Lynne Patton also called him. Patton will present him with a signed gift from the president when she visits on Sunday.
Eric Trump "told me they're pulling for me and praying," Barrett said, adding that despite his illness, he wanted to be around to vote for Trump in the 2020 election.
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Brendan Cole is a Newsweek Senior News Reporter based in London, UK. His focus is Russia and Ukraine, in particular ... Read more
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