CPAC 2019 was honored to have President Donald Trump come to speak under this year's slogan "What Makes America Great?" But someone else took the crowd by storm earlier Saturday, showing exactly what sort of love fills everyday Americans.
A young man named David Evans walked on the stage, accompanied by his sister Jessica Evans, and Dave Bray. Jessica and David’s mother, Sidney Evans, accompanied her children to CPAC but was not on stage.
Why is the Evans family so honored? Jessica made videos for her family on Snapchat showing her brother getting excited to see her every time she meets him either at his school in Georgia or when he gets off the school bus. David has down syndrome but his joyous greeting for his sister became viral last year and currently has 450,000 likes on Twitter.
“I take every opportunity I can to come see him,” Jessica said.
for anyone who is having a bad day: here is a video of my little brother's reaction every time i come home and surprise him????pic.twitter.com/6HDxLC3CpM
— jess (@thejessevans) August 15, 2017
Dan Schneider, the executive director of The American Conservative Union, ended up contacting Jessica and inviting her to recite the pledge of allegiance at CPAC 2019.
“We kind of made the trip up here and we just went for it,” Jessica Evans said. “And we were hoping for the best.”
It was an uphill challenge for Jessica and David, as they were performing before the largest crowd that CPAC has had in Maryland. David began to get stage fright. He hid behind his sister, wrapping his arms around her for comfort.
“We had to get David really motivated,” Jessica said. “We had practiced at home every time I was home, every weekend from school.”
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Jessica guided her brother through the pledge. Slowly but surely, he found the strength within himself to get through the rest of the pledge.
“One nation, under God. Indivisible, with liberty and justice for all,” they said together.
Best. Pledge. Ever. #CPAC2019 #WhatMakesAmericaGreat pic.twitter.com/vl3mx1YvFE
— CPAC 2019 (@CPAC) March 2, 2019
David danced with joy as a patriotic audience cheered with applause. It was his big moment, and the new star of the weekend blew kisses to the attendees.
Their stage companion Bray followed the pledge with the national anthem. And the end of the song, when he recited, “land of the free and home of the brave,” he gestured his hand, pointing to who the brave American was that day.
“He was really encouraging towards David backstage,” Jessica said. “And even when we were onstage he was trying to get him to say the pledge with us.”
Bray and David ended the session by sharing a fist bump together.
Wonderful rendition of our National Anthem by my very talented friend, @DaveBrayUSA!#CPAC2019 pic.twitter.com/Cr3ML01WTE
— Lisa Mei Crowley (@LisaMei62) March 2, 2019
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