Barry Loudermilk: “Throughout our lives here on Earth, God places in our path certain people who influence our lives, who help shape who we…”

“Throughout our lives here on Earth, God places in our path certain people who influence our lives, who help shape who we are, and who ultimately help us to understand our purpose. A couple of years ago, I met someone whose optimism, faith, and valor in the face of difficulty has had a great influence on me, on my family, and on our entire community. I met Mr. David Hyde in 2013, who at that time was a small business owner in Cartersville, Georgia. At that time, I was a relatively unknown candidate for Congress, who was promoting the idea that America's days are still ahead of us if we define where we are going and aggressively set a course to get there. David quickly became a supporter and a friend. Although many had lost hope in restoring America's greatness, David was a breath of fresh air. His patriotism was inspiring; his optimism was infectious; and his energy invigorated me with a willingness to fight on. David and I share a vision: to restore our struggling Nation to one that is free, safe, and full of opportunity. We both believe that we can turn the tide and give our grandchildren a nation better than the one we inherited, but, of course, it will take a lot of hard work. Within 2 weeks of our introduction, David was given the news that he had esophageal cancer and that it was rapidly spreading. Now, after nearly 2 years of, quite literally, putting up the fight of his life, the cancer is quickly taking David's life.…”