Celebrating America’s 250th birthday from Metlakatla, where history, heritage, faith, and community remind us that every corner of this nation has a story worth telling.

There is something deeply meaningful about celebrating America’s 250th birthday from Metlakatla, Alaska.

Growing up here in the 1960s and 1970s, life was different than it is today. We didn’t have smartphones, social media, or a world that moved at lightning speed. We had bicycles, fishing poles, skinned knees, and long summer evenings that seemed like they would never end. We knew our neighbors, and they knew us. Doors were rarely locked, and if someone needed help, the community simply showed up.

As children, we explored the beaches at low tide, wandered through the forests, climbed over driftwood, and spent countless hours outside until someone called us home for dinner. The rhythms of the tides, the sound of the rain on the roof, and the cries of the eagles overhead became part of who we were. We didn’t realize it then, but those simple days were quietly shaping our character.

Metlakatla has always been a special place. It is a community built on faith, perseverance, and the hope of people who crossed the waters seeking a better future. It is also home to the Tsimshian people, whose culture and traditions continue to enrich this place and remind us that history is not just something we read about—it is something we live every day.

As I’ve grown older, life has taken me far beyond our little island. Aviation allowed me to see much of this incredible country from thousands of feet above the ground. I’ve watched the sun rise over mountain ranges, crossed deserts and coastlines, and met remarkable people from every walk of life. Yet no matter where my journey has taken me, there has always been something comforting about coming home to Southeast Alaska.

Standing here today, I find myself thinking about those who came before us—parents and grandparents, fishermen and loggers, teachers, veterans, pastors, and neighbors who quietly built lives rooted in hard work and service. Many are no longer with us, but their influence remains woven into the fabric of this community. Their stories remind us that America has never been built by famous names alone. It has also been built by ordinary people who faithfully loved their families, served their neighbors, and left things a little better than they found them.

Our nation is far from perfect, and every generation has faced its own struggles. Yet for 250 years, the American story has been one of resilience, renewal, and the enduring belief that tomorrow can be better than today. That hope continues to unite people from every corner of this country—including those of us who live on this small island in Southeast Alaska.

As I reflect on this day, I am grateful—not only for the freedoms we enjoy, but for the blessing of calling Metlakatla home. This village gave me my first memories, my appreciation for nature, my respect for hard work, and a lifelong understanding that community matters.

Perhaps that is what today means most to me.

Not simply remembering where America began, but remembering where I began.

Happy 250th Birthday, America.

From the shores of Metlakatla, with gratitude, hope, and a heart full of memories.