United States Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) spoke during the Republican National Convention on Monday, sharing an emotional story about a family tragedy and President Trump’s personal interest in it.
“Two years ago, our nephew Eli was killed in a car accident,” Jordan said.
He was referring to 21-year-old Eli Stickley, who left the roadway on Interstate 74 in Illinois, “running into the right ditch before overcorrecting and rolling,” USA Today reported in 2018.
Stickley, a varsity wrestler for the University of Wisconsin, was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead.
“It was a Saturday morning, three days after the accident. I was walking to the car, to go to Eli’s parent’s home, when the president called,” Jordan said at the convention:
We talked about a few issues. And then he asked how the family was doing. I said, “They’re doing okay, but it’s tough.”
The president said, “Yeah, losing a loved one’s always difficult, and it’s really tough when they’re so young.”
I then said, “Mr. President, I’m actually walking into their house right now. Obviously, they don’t know I’m talking to you. But if you’d be willing to say hello to Eli’s dad, you’d make a terrible day a little less terrible.”
Jordan recalled that Trump asked, “What’s his name?”
“I walked through the door and said, ‘Todd, the president wants to talk to you.'”
Jordan said, “For the next five minutes, family and friends sat in complete silence, as the President of the United States took time to talk to a dad who was hurting.”
He continued, “That’s the president I know. That’s the individual who’s made America great again and who knows America’s best days are in front of us.”
Kyle Olson is a reporter for Breitbart News. He is also host of “The Kyle Olson Show,” syndicated on Michigan radio stations on weekends. Listen to segments on YouTube or download full podcast episodes. Follow him on Twitter, like him on Facebook, and follow him on Parler.
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