Lakeside School

Image: Lynda Vassar, President Barack Obama, and T.J. Vassar ’68, 2012. Courtesy of the Vassar family.

Tuesday night my wife, Lynda and I, met the President of the United States, Barack Obama! We met him at a campaign rally hosted by Costco co-founder Jim Sinegal at his home just outside of Seattle. I had been told that the Obama campaign had heard about my story, especially my present battle with pancreatic cancer and that my wife and I had a good chance of taking a photo with the President. I could not wait!

When the President arrived and prepared to take pictures with the guests, we were near the front of the line. I anxiously looked in the room where the pictures were being taken and I saw the President, standing there not but a few feet from me looking fit and better than he does on television. When I walked up to him, he said: “Is this my man,T.J.?” And, someone answered in the affirmative. A secret service agent then threw a basketball to the President which he agilely plucked from the air. President Obama handed the ball to me and read the autographed note, ‘To T.J. – I’m glad you’re on my team!’ signed, Barack Obama. …

Many people asked me about the signed basketball after the evening wound down; I felt like a minor celebrity for it. My wife and I were given the chance to meet the President in part because I have tried to build community throughout my career. I support the President because his policies help build a more unified America. His policies even keep a person like me fighting cancer, no longer employed, alive because I will be able to keep my insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act. 

What a night! I am so grateful for the people who made it possible for us to meet President Barack Obama. This President, whose election was so remarkable, will likely go down in history as one of our greatest presidents because he will overcome the herculean challenges that will confront him. I can’t wait to redouble efforts to keep this man in office for another term.

Tuesday night was an incredible inspiration to me, the entire evening certainly, but most especially meeting the President. All those who have endured an illness for some time understand it when I say there have been times during my battle with cancer that I thought being embraced by the great unknown was better than enduring the current misery. But, I feel like meeting the President charged my healing batteries and inspired me to battle on and survive; there is still more to do. — Email correspondence from T.J. Vassar ’68, August 17, 2012