Sean Davis for Astoria

I first met Congressman Peter DeFazio after I came home from war, when he helped me navigate some of the challenges I was facing as a wounded combat veteran. Years later, I had the opportunity to work with Congressman DeFazio and his staff while lobbying in Washington, D.C., in support of the Oregon Wildlands Act.

Our paths crossed again after the Holiday Farm Fire devastated the McKenzie River Valley and destroyed much of the community where my family and I lived. In the aftermath, Congressman DeFazio came to Blue River, saw the destruction firsthand, listened to the people who had lost their homes and businesses, and worked to help our community recover.

I’ve known Congressman DeFazio through some very different chapters of my life: as a soldier coming home from war, as an advocate working on legislation, and as a community member trying to help rebuild after a disaster.

That’s why his support means so much to me. Peter DeFazio spent decades serving Oregon in Congress, and as a fellow veteran, he understands that public service is more than something you talk about. It’s something you do.