Mary 🩺

Some nursing homes struggle to attract visitors. One in the Netherlands chose to invite roommates instead. In the Dutch city of Deventer, a retirement home called Humanitas introduced an idea that would eventually gain attention around the world. Rather than accepting loneliness as a normal part of aging, they approached it as something that could actually be solved. For over ten years, Humanitas has allowed university students to live inside the nursing home rent free. In return, the students spend about thirty hours each month connecting with residents. Sometimes that means sharing meals, having conversations, helping with technology, joining activities, or simply keeping someone company during a quiet afternoon. They are not nurses or employees. They are simply part of the community. At first, the idea sounded like a smart response to expensive student housing. But the real impact appeared in the lives of the residents. Reports from outlets such as PBS NewsHour and AARP described seniors becoming more social, more active, and less isolated once younger people became part of everyday life. What makes the story even more meaningful is that many students chose to spend far more time there than the agreement required. Some even stayed connected after graduating. Over time, casual interactions turned into genuine friendships. Humanitas didn’t really create something new. It brought back something many societies once had naturally: different generations living side by side instead of separately. Maybe the issue was never aging itself. Maybe it was the distance we created between generations. Sometimes the most powerful ideas are simply old human connections rediscovered.

There could be no Independence Day without Memorial Day. 🇺🇸

Last night, I made a simple request on X. I asked if anybody visiting Arlington National Cemetery for Memorial Day would stop by Alan’s grave and leave a photo for our family. What happened next honestly caught me off guard. By this afternoon, dozens of Americans from all walks of life had made the walk to Section 60 to visit SSG Alan W. Shaw. Veterans. Families. Complete strangers. People who had never met Alan, but chose to honor him anyway. For one day on social media, people put aside the constant noise and negativity and came together for something bigger than themselves. My notifications filled with photos, kind messages, prayers, and stories from people honoring not just Alan, but so many of our fallen heroes. I don’t think people fully understand what moments like this mean to Gold Star families. The fear is never just losing them. It’s losing them slowly over time as the world moves on and fewer people remember their name. But today showed me that Alan will never be forgotten. After years of watching social media reward some of the worst parts of humanity, today gave me a reminder that the good is still out there too. Thank you to every single person who stopped by to visit Alan today, said his name, shared his story, or took a moment to honor the fallen. This right here is the America Alan knew and loved enough to fight and die for. And today, y’all showed us all that it’s still here and it’s still worth fighting for. 🇺🇸

We extend our condolences to the McCain family following the passing of Douglas “Doug” Shepp McCain, the eldest son of John McCain. A Navy pilot like his father, Doug will be remembered as a patriot and friend to the many alumni of Sen. McCain’s Institute, campaigns & Senate staff.

A new mom captured the most precious moment when her twins saw each other for the very first time.