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HI, THIS IS PARISH PRESIDENT CYNTHIA LEE CHANG.
I AM HONORED TO BE SITTING HERE TODAY WITH CAEM REYNOLDS CAEM.
WHAT'S, YOU'RE OFFICIAL, YOU'RE OFFICIALLY AN OPERATOR AT THE BRIDGE CITY WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.
UM, BUT WHY I AM SITTING HERE WITH CAEM IS BECAUSE CAEM WAS HONORED TO BE CHOSEN AS JEFFERSON PARISH'S EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR.
WE HAVE A LOT OF EMPLOYEES IN JEFFERSON PARISH.
SO TO BE CHOSEN BY YOUR PEERS AND YOUR SUPERVISORS AS BEING THE EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR IS REALLY SOMETHING SPECIAL.
AND THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT BECAUSE CA REPRESENTS WHAT I, I THINK IS THE BEST PART OF JEFFERSON PARISH.
OUR BIGGEST ASSET IS OUR PEOPLE AND THE SKILLS THAT WE HAVE.
AND I WANTED TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET TO KNOW YOU BETTER, CALEB.
I KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOU, BUT NOT THAT MUCH.
WE, THIS IS NOT, THIS IS UNSCRIPTED.
UM, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING TO KNOW YOU BETTER, CALEB? YES, MA'AM.
SO, UM, TELL ME, TELL LET, LET'S, BECAUSE YOU GOT EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO IN JEFFERSON PARISH.
WHY DON'T YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THAT WORK IS? WELL, FIRST AT THE PLANT, I'M A, WHAT YOU CALL IS A TREATMENT SEWAGE TREATMENT OPERATOR, BUT I'M THE BELL PRESS OPERATOR.
THAT'S MY PRIMARY, UH, DAY-TO-DAY TASK IS BEING THE BELL PRESS OPERATOR.
SO WE DO, IN THE BELL PRESS, WE PROCESS THE SEW.
WHAT WE DO IS WE ADD A CHEMICAL COMPONENT CALLED POLYMER.
WE ADD IT TO, WE ADD IT TO THE SEWAGE, WHICH IT GRABS THE SEWAGE AND DE WATERS.
IT GOES ON THE BELL, PRESS FILTER SQUEEZES THE EXCESS WATER OUT, AND IT COMES OUT GRANULAR, LIKE, UM, LIKE FERTILIZER MOVES THAT SUPPOSEDLY AT THE LANDFILL.
WE HAVE DIFFERENT TESTS THAT WE RUN, SEE THE PERCENTAGE REMOVAL, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, UH, SET SOLIDS TEST DO THAT TO SEE WHAT, WHAT WAS THE CONCENTRATION OF THE SOIL TO, WE NEED TO DO, WE NEED TO ADD MORE AIR, WE TURN THE AIR OFF TO WHAT WE NEED TO REMOVE.
WE DO THAT EVERY DAY SO THE PLANT CAN WORK, WORK EFFICIENTLY AS WELL.
AS I'M COMMUNICATING WHILE I'M DOING, I'M COMMUNICATING WITH THE OTHER OPERATOR THAT'S DOING THE TREATMENT PART OF THE PROCESS, UM, TO WHERE WE CAN SEE WHAT'S, HOW MUCH WASTING, HOW MUCH RETURNING SLAGE WE HAVE DO TO WHERE THE PLANT CAN RUN IS MOST HIGH EFFICIENT EFFICIENCY.
AS YOU KNOW, ONCE WE REMOVE THE, UM, THE, THE BUGS AND ALL THE INORGANICS AND ADD A HYPER SODIUM HYDROCHLORIDE, WHICH IS BLEACH ADDED TO THE WATER AND THE SEWAGE, AND GOES TO THE EFFLUENT, IT GOES BACK TO THE RECEIVING BODY WATER.
SO I THINK WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS WHAT PEOPLE WHO ARE LISTENING TO US, UM, ARE GONNA REALIZE.
WHAT I LEARNED SEVERAL YEARS AGO WORKING FOR JEFFERSON PARISH IS THE SEWER DEPARTMENT.
AND THE PROCESSES YOU DO ARE EXTREMELY COMPLICATED.
AND PEOPLE THINK, I MEAN, MOST PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF THINK, WELL, I JUST FLUSHED THE TOILET AND I NEVER THINK ABOUT WHERE IT GOES AND HOW COMPLICATED THE SYSTEM IT IS AND WHERE WE LIVE AND THE SOILS WE LIVE WITH THE LIFT STATIONS.
BUT I REMEMBER LEARNING ABOUT THE SEWER SYSTEM, HAVING NO IDEA I WOULD PASS THESE LIFT STATIONS SITTING TRAFFIC, NOT KNOWING WHAT THIS BOX IS.
WE HAVE OVER 500 LIFT STATIONS TO EXPLAIN TO THE LISTENERS.
LIKE, IT GOES FROM YOUR HOUSE, WHICH IS NOT JUST THE, NOT JUST THE TO FROM THIS, FROM YOU FLUSHING THE TOILET, BUT ALSO WHAT ELSE? IT'S, IT'S, IT'S MANY THINGS THAT WE DO IN OUR HOMES.
SO THEY HAVE LIKE TRUNK LINES WITH THE LINE CREWS.
UM, ONCE YOU FLUSH IT, TOILET IT GOES, YOU KNOW, BUT IT'S YOUR, IT'S YOUR DISH WATER, RIGHT? DISH WATER, LAUNDRY, YOUR LAUNDRY, AND YOU DO YOUR LAUNDRY, RIGHT? YES, MA'AM.
UM, YOUR DRAINS THAT'S IN FRONT OF YOUR HOUSE.
ALL THOSE GOES INTO THE BASIN.
THAT ALL GOES TO A SEWER, TO THE SEWER LINE, AND IT GOES TO LIFT STATION, LIFTS YOUR, PUMPS IT TO THE, TO THE NEXT STEP, AND IT GOES AND EVENTUALLY ENDS UP AT THE PLANT Y IMAC.
SO FROM MY SOME, SO FROM YOUR HOUSE, IT, WE, WE PUMP THAT WATER ALL THE WAY TO THE TREATMENT PLANT THROUGH LIFT STATION.
AND THROUGH GRAVITY AND LIFT STATIONS.
BRINGING THE MATTER UP, FORCE MAINS.
FORCE MAINS, AND IT'S GOING UP AND THEN GRAVITY PULLS IT DOWN AND IT TRAVELS THROUGH AND IT'S INCREDIBLE.
WHEN YOU LEARN ABOUT IT, AND ANY CHILDREN WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED, WHAT A GREAT CAREER TO LEARN ABOUT IT IS LIKE A PUBLIC WORK SYSTEM.
BUT THE SEWER SYSTEM IS MUCH MORE COMPLICATED BECAUSE NOBODY THINKS ABOUT IT.
NOBODY, NOBODY UNDERSTANDS HOW COMPLICATED IT'S, AND THEN FORGET THE MOVEMENT ALL THE WAY TO THE TREATMENT PLAN THAN THE THINGS THAT YOU DO.
WHERE, WHERE, WHERE YOU ARE IN BRIDGE CITY, THE THINGS THAT YOU DO IN THE TREATMENT PLAN ARE INCREDIBLE.
I'VE VISITED IT MANY TIMES AND NOBODY WOULD HAVE ANY IDEA.
IT'S DEFINITELY A, AND I SAY WE MAKE LIKE CAKES, BUT WE YOU DON'T CALL IT CAKES.
WELL, IT'S ACTUALLY, THAT'S A TERM THAT'S A OPERATOR TERM NOW.
IT'S CALLED MAKE CAKE LOOKS CAKE.
YOU WANNA EAT IT? HOW DO CAKE LOOKS TODAY? YEAH.
SO WE'RE TURNING IT INTO SOLIDS AND THEN WE'RE DRYING IT OUT OR DRY IT OUT.
Y'ALL ARE TESTING IT THE WHOLE TIME, TURNING IT INTO SOLIDS.
THE WASTEWATER INTO SOLID MATTER, LIKE YOU SAID, EVENTUALLY IT GOES TO THE LANDFILL.
THAT'S WHAT EXPOSURE IS, RIGHT? YEAH.
IT'S, IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY.
IT'S, IT'S WHAT A MODERN CIVIL CIVILIZATION LOOKS LIKE, BASICALLY.
UM, DO PE ARE PEOPLE SURPRISED WHEN YOU, WHEN SOMEBODY SAYS, WELL, WHAT DO YOU DO FOR A LIVING? WHAT DO YOU SAY?
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YOU SAY? I SAY, WELL, I SAY, I WORK FOR THE SEWER GENERAL PARENT SEW DEPARTMENT.AND YOU'RE LIKE, OH, YOU KNOW, YOU MESS WITH THE P.
IT'S, IT'S, IT IS MUCH DEEPER THAN THAT.
BUT BOTH TO THE, TO THE NAKED EYE, NAKED MIND, YOU KNOW, THEY KNOW.
SO YOU GOT TO KIND OF BREAK IT DOWN IN THE LAYMAN TERMS SOMETIMES, LIKE COMBINATION OF THIS, COMBINATION THAT WAY TO PROCESS SCIENCE.
AND I ALWAYS SAY, AND WE'LL, WE'LL HOST PEOPLE, UH, MY, MY DIRECTOR'S, WHAT'S GREAT ABOUT THAT.
BUT I ALWAYS, I ALWAYS TELL MY FRIENDS OR TEACHERS, LIKE, TAKE, TAKE A FIELD TRIP TO SOME OF OUR, SOME OF OUR PLACES.
AND SO THE THINGS THAT WE TAKE FOR GRANTED EVERY DAY, THAT CHILDREN GET TO SEE BEHIND THE SCENES.
AND YOU HAVE SOME OF THOSE KIDS THAT ARE GONNA BE FASCINATED BY IT AND END UP IN THIS FIELD.
'CAUSE IT'S THOSE THINGS THAT WE, THAT ARE PART OF YOUR DAILY LIFE AND YOU FLUSH A TOILET AND YOU NEVER ONCE THINK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS TO THIS.
AND IT'S INCREDIBLE WHEN YOU LEARN ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS.
PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW, PLEASE DON'T PUT THE STUFF IN THE TOILET TO HAVE A LOT OF, OKAY.
SO I KNOW WE GOTTA DO A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT.
WHAT? LET'S REALLY DETRIMENTAL TO OUR SEWER SYSTEM, TO THE PIPES IN YOUR HOUSE, WHAT NOT TO FLUSH.
LET'S, LET'S GET THAT PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT OUT.
IF IT DOES NOT COME OUT YOUR BODY
AND IT'S NOT THE TOILET TISSUE, DO NOT PUT IT PUT IN THE TOILET.
WHAT ABOUT THESE FLUSHABLE WIPES THAT THEY, YOU DON'T LIKE THAT, THAT THE FLUSHABLE WIPES THAT I WAS WORRIED ABOUT THAT WHEN I SAW COMMERCIAL COMMERCIALS ABOUT THAT THEY'RE FLUSHABLE, BUT THEY, SOME OF 'EM ARE TOUGHER THAN OTHERS.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THAT'S A, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FLUSHABLE WIPES IN JEFFERSON PARISH HERE.
JUST TOUCH ANYTHING ELSE, YOU KNOW, PERSONAL HYGIENE PRODUCTS, PLEASE.
SUPPOSE PLEASE MANAM, PLEASE, SIR.
DISPOSE 'EM THE WAY THEY SUPPOSED TO BE DISPOSED.
ANY WEIRD THINGS, NOT ABOUT BODILY, BUT ANY WEIRD THINGS THAT YOU COME THROUGH THE SEWER DEPARTMENT, WE SEE WHAT, WHAT'S GOING ON? WE SEE, WE SEE, UM, BRANDS OF HATS.
WE SEE, UM, SOLES OF TENNIS SHOES, SHOE LACES, UM, HAIR.
LIKE, I MEAN, WE SEE A WHOLE LOT OF, I MEAN, AT ONE TIME WE SAW LIKE A, A PIECE OF A MOP HEAD, SOMEBODY, SO SOMEBODY HAD TO FLUSH THAT OR PUT THROUGH THE, SO THROUGH THE SEWER, YOU KNOW.
YOU KNOW, THROUGH, SOME OF IT GOES STORM STORM, STORM DRAIN.
MOP HEAD, WE, WE SEE ALL KIND OF STUFF LIKE, YOU KNOW, HOW DID THIS GET HERE? YOU KNOW? AND THEN SOMETIME PULLING UP, LIKE WE, IF A PUMP CHOKES UP, YOU MAY SEE A, A PIECE OF A SHIRT HERE.
AND THEN LATER ON, MAYBE LIKE A, A WEEK OR LATER, I DO IT AGAIN.
YOU MIGHT SEE THE OTHER PIECE OF IT.
I'M LIKE, EVERY NIGHT THEY GOT CAUGHT UP SOMEWHERE, YOU KNOW, IN ANOTHER PART OF THE SYSTEM.
SO WE DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO DO THAT.
NOT ONLY IS IT DAMAGING TO YOUR HOUSE OR YOUR BUSINESS, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY WE HAVE VERY EXPENSIVE EQUIPMENT.
WE VERY EXPENSIVE EQUIPMENT THAT WE WANNA PROTECT AND WE DON'T, WE WANNA HANDLE WHAT WE'RE ONLY SUPPOSED TO HANDLE.
SO IF IT DIDN'T COME OUTTA YOUR BODY AND IT'S NOT TOILET PAPER, THEN DON'T DISPOSE OF IT IN THE GARBAGE CAN.
UM, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LEADERSHIP AND, AND YOU GETTING THE EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR AWARD IS TIED TO LEADERSHIP, I WOULD THINK.
UM, TALK TO ME ABOUT HOW YOU, I, I IMAGINE, AND I, I'VE HEARD YOUR SUPERVISOR SAY YOU TEACH WHAT YOU, WHAT YOU'VE LEARNED TO YOUR, YOUR COLLEAGUES AND MAYBE COLLEAGUES THAT HAVEN'T BEEN HERE AS LONG AS YOU, YOU DO.
AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY A TRUE LEADER.
WHETHER YOU HAVE WHATEVER TITLE YOU HAVE, A TRUE LEADER IS THE ONE THAT PEOPLE CAN GO TO TO ASK QUESTIONS.
THEY KNOW YOU'RE GONNA BE OPEN TO IT.
THEY DON'T FEEL BAD ABOUT BOTHERING YOU.
TALK TO ME ABOUT THAT MENTORING THAT YOU SEE YOURSELF AS IN, IN YOUR DEPARTMENT.
UM, AS, AS I COME TO WORK EVERY DAY, I, I COME IN WITH A, A, A GIVE BACK MENTALITY, ALSO A FAMILY, FAMILY SPIRITED BECAUSE SOMEONE HELPED ME GET TO WHERE I'M AT.
SO WHEN WE HAVE, UM, OPPORTUNITY, WHEN I HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE BACK, I WANNA DO THAT.
BUT MY, THE WORK RELATIONSHIP THAT I HAVE WITH MY COWORKERS IS LIKE, THERE NO OTHER.
I SEE THEM MORE THAN I SEE MY OWN FAMILY.
SO WHY WOULD I NOT WANT TO GIVE BACK TO THEM, YOU KNOW, AS A TEAM, YOU KNOW? SO IF YOU, IF I KNOW SOMETHING, I TRY TO HELP OUT, BUT THEN IT'S EASY FOR THEM TO COME TO ME.
'CAUSE I'M, I TRY TO JUST BE READILY AVAILABLE.
AND I MEAN, IT'S LIKE, ALMOST LIKE GOING TO THE STORE AND I'M TRYING TO COOK BREAKFAST.
WHY NOT SUPPLY IT WITH YOU? YOU KNOW, I CAN SHARE MY EGGS WITH YOU.
AND, AND THE, THE TEAM THAT WE HAVE, WE'RE SMALL IN NUMBER, BUT IT IS, IT IS, IT IS.
THE DYNAMIC OF IT IS JUST REALLY TRYING TO BE EFFECTIVE.
AND THE OPERATES THAT WE HAVE AND THE SUPERVISION THAT WE HAVE, WE JUST TRY TO BOUNCE OFF EACH OTHER.
IDEAS, YOU KNOW? UM, MY SUPERVISOR, HE DOES NOT TRY TO SAY, WELL, I'M THE BOSS.
AND I'M NOT TRYING TO UNDERCUT HIM, UNDERMINE HIM.
WE SIT DOWN LIKE WE TALKING RIGHT NOW, WHAT CAN WE DO TO SAVE MONEY? WHAT CAN WE DO TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE? WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAYBE CHANGE IT A LITTLE BIT SO THAT WE CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCE? YOU KNOW, MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT TO THE PLANT THAT'S BIG FOR OPERATORS.
YOU WHAT? YOU MAKE THE ADJUSTMENT TODAY.
YOU MAY NOT SEE FOR A DAY OR TWO DOWN THE LINE.
SO THE NEXT OPERATOR COMING ON, YOU HAVE TO BE COMMUNICATING.
YOU HAVE TO BE, YOU HAVE TO BE COMMUNICATING.
SEE WHY I CHANGED THIS VALVE? I TURNED THIS, THIS, THIS ON, TURN THIS OFF SO WE CAN KNOW WHAT WE NEED TO DO SO THE PLANT CAN
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RUN EFFICIENTLY.I THINK YOU SAID SOMETHING IMPORTANT.
IT'S WHAT I LOVE ABOUT WORK AND WHAT I'VE ALWAYS, I GREW UP IN THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY AND ON A SATURDAY NIGHT, I REMEMBER THAT FIRST SATURDAY NIGHT I WAS PART OF IT.
LIKE, AND EVERYBODY WAS WORKING AND ALL WORKING TOGETHER.
AND LIKE YOU SAID, IT DOESN'T, YOUR SUPERVISOR'S SUPERVISOR, AND YOU'RE NOT TRYING TO UNDERCUT HIM.
WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS THIS TEAM LIKE CHA TAKING ON THIS MISSION AS A TEAM.
AND IT'S REALLY REWARDING IN LIFE WHEN YOU GET IN A WORKPLACE SITUATION WHERE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE PART OF A TEAM.
IT REALLY IS ONE OF THE MOST REWARDING THINGS, RIGHT? MM-HMM
IT'S THE BEST PART OF THE JOB.
AND I CAN TELL JUST YOU BEING HERE WITH US, WITH OUR PPIO STAFF, YOU'RE JUST VERY WARM AND CASUAL.
AND SO I CAN IMAGINE YOU BRING THAT TO WORK TOO.
SO NOBODY'S, NOBODY WOULD EVER BE AFRAID TO COME UP AND ASK YOU A QUESTION OR BE AFRAID OF, LIKE, I'M GONNA ASK HIM A QUESTION AND HE'S GONNA MAKE ME FEEL LIKE I WAS STUPID OR SOMETHING.
I, I DON'T THINK, AND THAT'S A, THAT'S SOMETHING IN THE WORKPLACE IS IMPORTANT THAT I DON'T WANNA, I DON'T WANNA ASK THIS QUESTION.
THIS PERSON'S GONNA MAKE ME FEEL LIKE I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN IT ALREADY.
AND I CAN, I CAN, I KNOW THAT NOBODY WOULD EVER FEEL THAT WAY ABOUT YOU.
I, I, I REALLY, I REALLY LOVE BEING ABLE TO BE TRANSPARENT.
UM, A WORD I LIKE TO USE FOR MYSELF IS INTENTIONAL.
I TRY TO BE INTENTIONAL EVERY FACE OF LIFE.
I'M, I DO REPRESENT JEFFERSON PARISH.
I REPRESENT THE REYNOLDS NAME, THAT'S MY NAME.
AND IF I'M GONNA REPRESENT THE PARISH, I WANNA REPRESENT THE PARISH BEST WAY, MY NAME, THE BEST WAY, AND GOD THE BEST WAY.
SO ALL THAT HAD TO BE COHESIVE.
AND THE MAIN WAY TO DO IT IS JUST TO BE, JUST BE AVAILABLE.
SO WHEN WE, WHEN YOU GOT THE AWARD, UM, AT THE CHAMBER EVENT, WHICH WE WERE, WERE ABLE TO PRESENT YOU THE AWARD, UM, YOU HAD A BIG LAPEL PIN WITH
AND WHAT DOES YOUR LAPEL PIN SAY TODAY? WELL, MY LAPEL PENN TODAY SAYS, DON'T LET THE HARD DAYS WIN.
IN LIFE, WHAT'S A HARD DAY? LIKE, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT IS IS A HARD DAY, HARD DAY.
WE ALL HAVE HARD DAYS AS PART OF LIFE.
WHAT IS IT LIKE FOR YOU? WELL, A HARD DAY FOR ME IS SOMETIME BEING, BEING MY BIGGEST CRITIC.
UM, MY OWN, MY, MY MY OWN WORST ENEMY.
DOUBT MYSELF, DOUBT MY ABILITIES, DOUBT MY EFFECTIVENESS, AND JUST GET OUTTA MY HEAD.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE HARDEST DAY YOU CAN HAVE WHEN YOU STOPPING YOURSELF FROM BEING GREAT.
AND WHEN YOU GET YOURSELF OUT THE WAY AND LET LIFE BE LIFE AND LET EVERYTHING JUST UNFOLD ITSELF, YOU, YOU, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THE ADJUSTMENTS.
YOU KNOW? UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY, WELL, I WANNA BE COURAGEOUS.
WELL, YOU NEED AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE COURAGE IN THE OPPORTUNITY.
SO A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY, I WANNA BE, I WANNA BE FEARFUL.
WELL, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A MOMENT WHERE YOU SHOW THAT YOU ARE BOLD AND BRAVE.
THAT YOU'RE NOT AFRAID YOU WANNA BE EFFECTIVE.
YOU HAVE TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE EFFECTIVE.
SO SOMETIMES YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE THESE NEGATIVE MOMENTS IN ORDER FOR YOU TO SHOW THE BEST YOU.
AND WHEN I SAW THIS, I HAD, I HAD TO BUY THIS BECAUSE I'M LIKE, SOMETIME PEOPLE GOING THROUGH MENTAL, PHYSICAL, FINANCIAL, MARITAL, WHATEVER IT CAN BE.
AND, BUT THOSE MOMENTS SHOW YOU TEST YOU, YOU ARE BATTLE TESTED TO BE THE BEST YOU, YOU CAN BE.
AND I THINK TOO, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THIS ABOUT ME, BUT I'M A WIDOW.
OKAY? UH, SO I LOST MY HUSBAND VERY SUDDENLY.
AND I REMEMBER TALKING TO OTHER WIDOWS, AND I REMEMBER SOMEBODY SAYING, AND I SAID, THAT'S SO TRUE.
SO BEING COURAGEOUS ON ONE DAY DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THE SAME CARDS YOU NEED FOR ANOTHER DAY.
AND I REMEMBER TELLING A WIDOW WHO RECENTLY, YOU KNOW, SHE HAD, SHE HAD RECENTLY LOST HER HUSBAND.
I SAID, NOT ALL DAYS ARE THE SAME.
AND REMEMBER, SOME DAYS IT'S JUST GETTING OUT OF BED AND PUTTING YOUR FEET ON THE FLOOR IS THE COURAGE YOU NEED FOR THAT DAY.
RIGHT? AND ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE LOSS, THAT'S THE COURAGE THAT IS A LOT OF COURAGE FOR THAT ONE DAY, IS JUST GETTING OUTTA BED AND PUTTING YOUR FEET ON THE FLOOR.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, IF PEOPLE SAY YOU HAVE FAMILY SUPPORT, FRIEND SUPPORT, BUT, UM, AT HOME, YOU, YOU, YOU ALONE, YOU BY YOURSELF IN THE BED.
I DON'T CARE IF YOU EVEN, EVEN MARRIED, YOU'RE BY YOURSELF.
IT'S IN YOU, IT IS YOU, IT'S YOUR HEART AND MIND.
SO, UM, COURAGE AND, AND STRENGTH COMES FROM WITHIN.
AND IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S PERSEVERANCE.
YOU HAVE TO PERSEVERE THROUGH IT ALL.
AND I'M SURE YOU FEEL LIKE ALL THOSE THINGS IN YOUR PERSONAL LIFE, THE CHALLENGES YOU HAVE, YOU, IT, IT COMES TO THE WORKPLACE TOO, IN OTHER FORMS. RIGHT? IT DOES.
DYNAMICS ARE DIFFERENT, BUT IT'S THE SAME.
IT'S, YOU HAVE THESE STRUGGLES.
ALL THESE SAME THINGS THAT YOU, I'VE HAD, I HAVE MY MOMENTS OF OF, OF DOUBTING INSECURITIES.
I HAVE MY MOMENTS AND I HAVE TO, I HAVE TO HAVE TO OVERCOME THEM.
SO WHAT'S, WHAT IS A REWARDING DAY FOR YOU? LIKE AT WORK? LIKE, WHAT, WHAT'S LIKE, OH, IF YOU, IF YOU WERE TO COME HOME AND SAY, I HAD A GREAT DAY AT WORK TODAY, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? A GREAT DAY IS WHEN I GET, I GET TO WORK, UM, SMILING FACES, EQUIPMENT ISN'T WORKING PROPERLY, THE SEWAGE IS MOVING THE WAY IT SUPPOSED TO MOVE.
UM, MINIMUM ADJUSTMENTS THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING'S WORKING AND THEN, YOU KNOW, NOT BEING DIRTY, YOU KNOW, BUT HEY, IT DOESN'T ALWAYS HAPPEN.
BUT, UM, NO, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY THE MOST REWARDING, WHERE I CAN GO TO WORK AND EVERYTHING WORKING AND WE DON'T HAVE TO, NOTHING BROKEN, STUFF LIKE THAT.
BUT I MEAN, WHAT'S, WHAT'S, WHAT'S A DAY THAT GONNA HAVE SOME THINGS TO FIX, HAVE A JOB.
SO CA I THINK SPEAKING TO YOU AND KNOWING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR PERSONAL LIFE,
[00:15:01]
I FEEL LIKE THAT REALLY YOU BRING THAT TO WORK AND THAT'S BEEN PART OF YOUR WORK SUCCESS.SO I KNOW YOU'RE MINISTRY, RIGHT? YES, MA'AM.
MINISTER, TALK TO ME ABOUT THAT.
AND BECAUSE I CAN SEE THAT PART OF YOUR LIFE, I CAN SEE WHO YOU ARE IN THAT PART OF YOUR LIFE.
AND I KNOW YOU BRING THAT TO WORK, BECAUSE I CAN SEE THAT.
AND THAT'S, YOU GOT THE EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR.
SO YOU GOTTA YOU GOTTA THINK THAT WHOLE, YOUR WHOLE LIFE, YOU KNOW, IS, IS FEEDING INTO YOUR WORK.
SO I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE POSITIVE, LIKE REALLY INCREDIBLE THINGS.
WELL, IT GOES BACK WHEN YOU SEE WITH THE MENTOR AND, UM, WITH THE KIDS.
I'M THE YOUTH PASTOR IN MY CHURCH.
I'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS.
AND IT, IT IS LIKE SOMEONE'S LOOKING TO YOU FOR SOMETHING THEY DON'T REALLY FEEL OR MAYBE HAVE IN THAT MOMENT.
YOU HAVE TO IMPART A PIECE OF YOU AND ALSO PLACE YOURSELF IN THAT SITUATION.
UHHUH,
I CAN RELATE TO CERTAIN THINGS OF, UM, BROKEN HOMES AND ET CETERA.
AND, UM, AND THE JOBS SOMETIMES, LIKE I SAY, IT'S BOTH HAND IN HAND.
IT MAY NOT BE YOUR FAMILY OR BLOOD RELATED OR SOMETHING GOING ON PERSONAL, BUT YOU HAVE ADVERSITY.
AND WITH ME BEING A YOU PASTOR IN MY CHURCH, I JUST TRY TO TELL MY KIDS AND SHOW THEM LOVE.
UM, I HAVE A THING, I SAY, UM, A, A SAYING, I BELIEVE IN HELPING HANDS AND LOVING HEARTS MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE.
IF I, I DON'T WANNA HAVE COMPASSION AND NOT SHOW IT.
I CAN'T FEEL SORRY FOR YOU AND NOT BE WILLING TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP YOUR SITUATION.
I HAVE, UM, SECURITY, AND I JUST TRY TO SHOW MY KIDS EVERY SUNDAY, EVERY TUESDAY, WHEREVER I'M AT, THAT, UM, I LOVE THEM.
IT'S OKAY TO MAKE MISTAKES, BUT LET'S SIT DOWN, LET'S TALK ABOUT IT.
LET'S SEE WHAT SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN MAKE NECESSARY ADJUSTMENTS SO THAT WE WON'T MAKE THOSE SAME MISTAKES AGAIN.
AND THEN YES, KIDS, THAT'S EVEN ADULTS WHO MAKE THE SAME MISTAKES AGAIN.
BUT IT'S NOT FOR ME TO BEAT YOU UP.
LIKE YOU SAY, MY MY COWORKERS, YOU DON'T KNOW.
IT'S NOT FOR ME TO BEAT YOU UP.
BECAUSE WHEN I MAKE A MISTAKE, I DON'T WANNA WANNA BEAT ME UP ABOUT IT.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW ME HAVE, TAKE A LITTLE SCOLDING, SOMETIMES SOME REBUKE, OR I WANT YOU TO COME TO ME AND TALK TO ME SO WE CAN GET BACK ON THE SAME PAGE.
SO ME MENTORING AND, UM, BEING A
DO YOU LIKE I LOVE BEING AROUND, UM, YOUNG PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, YOU JUST, THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE YOU GET AROUND AND YOUR HEART JUST FEELS LIKE IT'S JUST IN THE RIGHT PLACE.
MY, MY KIDS STILL BRING A LOT OF FRIENDS AROUND, AND I LOVE WHEN MY HOUSE IS FILLED WITH MY KIDS FRIENDS.
THEY'RE NOT YOUNG LIKE ANYMORE.
BUT I JUST LOVE BEING AROUND YOUNG PEOPLE.
AND, UM, I THINK WHAT WE, WE FORGET ABOUT, AND I, I, I TELL PEOPLE, LIKE SOMETIMES I'LL MEET SOMEONE, A YOUNGER PERSON, AND THEY SAID, I REMEMBER, I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU TOLD ME THIS.
I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER SAYING THAT TO THE PERSON, BUT THEY REMEMBERED IT.
AND WE TAKE FOR GRANTED OUR ABILITY TO MENTOR PEOPLE OR OUR ABILITY TO BE AROUND SOMEONE.
AND WE'RE JUST LIVING OUR DAY.
AND, AND, AND THE YOUNGER GENERATIONS AROUND US REALLY LIKE SPONGES TAKING IT ALL IN.
AND I, I CAN JUST SEE HOW YOU ARE.
I'M SURE YOU'RE THAT PERSON, BUT YOU, DO YOU THINK THAT WAY? ARE YOU, DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE, IT'S, YOU KNOW, DO YOU PICK THAT UP OR YOU JUST, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THE YOUTH AROUND YOU IS PROBABLY TAKING IT ALL IN.
YEAH, THEY, THEY DEFINITELY GRAVITATE TO ME.
I, I DO SOME THINGS AS IN LIKE, YOU KNOW, I, I'M, I'M REALLY REWARD AND CENTER-BASED, INCENTIVE BASED.
SO, UM, FOR OUR BIBLE STUDIES, SOMETIMES FOR OUR BIBLE STUDIES, WE DON'T EVEN HAVE CLASS.
WE, UM, WE JUST DO SOME HOMEWORK.
UM, ON ONE OF MY, ONE OF, UM, OUR PARENTS, SHE HELPS US WITH HOMEWORK AND READING AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO I TELL HIM, LOOK, I PICK THE MENU, STUFF LIKE THAT.
AND WHEN YOU DO THOSE THINGS, THEY COME BACK.
THEY COME BACK AND TELL YOU LATER.
AND THAT'S THE MOST REWARDING THING, YOU KNOW? IT'S NOT ABOUT THE PAYCHECK, NOT ABOUT PEOPLE CLAPPING WHEN YOU'RE SPEAKING.
IT'S NOT ABOUT THE PAT ON THE BACK, IT'S THEM, YOU KNOW? UM, I'M, I'M A ELDER THAT MY TRIP, BUT THEY SAY KILL.
I TELL 'EM FIRST NAME, BE KILL HIM.
I REMEMBER WHAT YOU TOLD ME THIS, YOU KNOW, AND WHATEVER YOU DO WHEN PEOPLE TELL YOU THANK YOU OR THEY JUST COME BACK AND GIVE YOU THAT MOMENT, LIKE YOU SAY LIKE, I DON'T REMEMBER THAT, BUT LIKE, WOW, I WAS JUST BEING ME.
WASN'T TRYING TO DO IT FOR ANY RECOGNITION.
AND THAT'S THE MOST REWARDING THING.
I THINK JUST SHARING A MEAL AND, AND HAVING TIME THAT WHERE YOU'RE NOT REALLY INSTRUCTING, YOU'RE JUST IS BUILDING TRUST THE WHOLE TIME.
AND THEN WHEN THEY DO GET IN TROUBLE AND THEY NEED SOMEONE TO TALK TO, YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE IN THEIR LIVES.
AND EVERY PARENTS AND EVERY YOUNG PERSON NEEDS THE GO-TO PEOPLE, UM, THAT THEY, IF THEY EVER GOT IN TROUBLE OR THEY NEEDED ADVICE, THEY, THEY KNOW WHO TO GO TO.
TALK TO ME, AND I ASKED YOU IF WE COULD TALK, YOU, YOU HAD A BIG WEIGHT LOSS RECENTLY, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, BUT YEAH.
WELL, UM, WHEN I CAME TO THE PARISH, UM, YOU KNOW, BIG GUY, I'M STILL A BIG GUY, BUT, UH, MY HIGHEST WEIGHT, UM, ON PAPER WAS ABOUT 496 POUNDS.
UM, STILL CLIMBING THE TANKER,
[00:20:01]
STILL REALLY STILL GOING UP AND DOWN THE STEPS.AND, UM, I GOTTA GIVE A SHOUT OUT, UM, TO MY ORIGINAL SUPERVISOR, LOUIS VIGUERA, I GOTTA SAY HIS NAME, PEREZ.
UM, BECAUSE WHEN I INTERVIEWED 12 YEARS AGO, HE DIDN'T THINK I WAS GONNA DO IT.
HE TOLD ME THAT AFTER THE FACT I GOT THE JOB, AND, UM, I WAS LIKE DOING MY JOB.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I WAS TIRED, YOU KNOW, YOU SAY A GOOD DAY.
BUT YOU KNOW, ME, MY, MY MY, MY ENTHUSIASM, MY PERSONAL, MY WILLPOWER DIDN'T STOP ME.
AND, UM, I HAD THE SURGERY ON JUNE 2ND, 2020.
UM, THE, UH, GASTRIC SLEEP DURING COVID? YEAH, DURING COVID.
I ACTUALLY, AND EVERYTHING, IT HAD TO BEEN, DID IT, I HAD TO BE APPROVED TWICE.
I GOT APPROVED, UM, EARLY IN THE YEAR, BUT THEN WHEN THE NUMBERS SPIKED AGAIN, UM, MY APPROVAL TIME, EITHER LIKE A 30 DAY WINDOW HAD PASSED.
SO I HAD TO START THE PROCESS ALL OVER AGAIN OF WALKING, LOSING A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF WEIGHT, CHECKING OUT THE DOCTOR.
SO I HAD TO GET APPROVED FOR THE SURGERY TWICE MM-HMM
AND, UM, WHEN I GOT APPROVED, YOU KNOW, I LIKE, MAN, I SAID, I'M, I'M READY NOW.
YOU KNOW, I WAS GONNA SAY MY LIFE, I WAS SCARED.
I MEAN, I WAS SCARED, YOU KNOW, YOU HEAR STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE GAINING THE WEIGHT BACK, PEOPLE, UM, NOT HAVING SUCCESSFUL SURGERY.
BUT, UM, MY SURGEON, WE SAT DOWN LIKE WE TALKING AND HE LIKE, MAN, THIS IS CAN SAVE YOUR LIFE AND IT CAN SAVE YOUR CAREER.
AND I'M LIKE SAYING THAT NOW, HEARING IT NOW AGAIN, LIKE, OKAY.
THE SURGEON HELPED ME BE IN THIS CHAIR WITH YOU TODAY.
UM, EVEN THOUGH I FEEL LIKE I WAS DOING GOOD, I HAD A FEW CERTIFICATING AT THE TIME, NOT FULLY CERTIFIED, BUT IT HELPED ME BE, YOU KNOW, STAND OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
AND, UM, WELL, IT'S A VERY PHYSICAL JOB THAT YOU ALL.
AND, UM, SO, UM, LIKE I SAID, TODAY I'M, UM, 287 POUNDS.
SO, AND YOUR ENERGY LEVEL'S BETTER? OH, MUCH BETTER.
UM, THEY SAY SOMETIMES IT TAKES A YEAR TO TWO YEARS TO GET OFF OF IT.
I GOT OFF OF IT THREE DAYS, THREE, THREE MONTHS, 90 DAYS, 90 DAYS.
I LOST A HUNDRED POUNDS AFTER SURGERY.
UM, IT HELPED WITH MY PHYSICALITY.
I WAS, UM, ABLE TO CONCEIVE A BABY, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, STUFF LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, IT HELPED, IT HELPED MY HEALTH OVERALL AND IT ALSO MOTIVATED PEOPLE.
UM, I HAVE FRIENDS, COWORKERS, THEY SEE YOU GOING THROUGH THIS COWORK.
I HAVE COWORKERS FROM MY PREVIOUS JOB, UM, TEACHERS THAT SAW WHAT I DONE AND THEY WENT TO THE SAME SURGEON I WENT TO.
LIKE, LITERALLY I WAS A WALKING BILLBOARD.
UM, LIKE, UM, LIKE YOU SAID, THIS, THIS INTERVIEW IS THE FIRST FOR ME, UM,
I WAS THE FIRST ROBOTIC SURGERY OR ROBOTIC, UM, PATIENT FOR WEST JEFF.
SO I WAS THE FIRST ONE TO DEAL WITH THE ROBOT.
NOW THEY HAVE, THEY DOING IT AT WEST JEFF AND IT DOING AT UMC UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL.
SO LIKE, YOU KNOW, I WAS, IT'S, IT'S LIKE, MAN, SO MUCH GOES ON.
YOU NEVER THINK IT IS GONNA COME BACK, COME TO PASS.
AND I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR THAT, FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO THE SURGERY.
AND LIKE I SAID, HELPED ME PERSONALLY HELP MY CAREER.
AND NOW I CAN BE THE BEST I CAN BE FOR JEFFERSON PARISH.
YOU ARE, YOU REPRESENT THE BEST.
PAL IS JUST ONE OF MANY, I MEAN, THIS YEAR HE'S EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR, BUT, UM, I'M BLESSED TO KNOW JUST HOW, HOW CRITICAL OUR EMPLOYEES ARE IN JEFFERSON PARISH.
AND, UH, I'VE ENJOYED THIS TIME WITH YOU.
BEFORE WE END, UM, TALK TO ME ABOUT YOUR FAMILY AT THE, AT THE CEREMONY YOU HAD YOUR, UM, PASTOR WITH YOU YES.
AND, AND TALK TO, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR FAMILY IF YOU'RE WILLING TO.
'CAUSE I KNOW THEY'RE IMPORTANT TO YOU.
WELL, MY PASTOR IS ALSO MY GODFATHER.
UM, HE, HE PLAYS A, A VERY INTRICATE PART OF MY LIFE.
TRYING TO GET EMOTIONAL, LIKE WHEN MY DAD DIED, WHEN I, MY JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, AND THEN MY GRANDFATHER AS WELL.
SO MY GRANDFATHER TOOK ME IN WHEN MY, YOUR DAD DIED WHEN YOU WERE A JUNIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL.
MY DAD AND MY GRANDFATHER ABOUT 30 SOMETHING DAYS APART.
SO THAT DOES ME GOOD BECAUSE MY KIDS LOST THEIR FATHER WHEN THEY'RE IN HIGH SCHOOL.
SO WHEN I SEE SOMEONE SUCCESSFUL, IT, IT MAKES ME FEEL GOOD.
SO MY GRANDFATHER HELPED, RAISED ME, UM, TROUBLES, LIKE I SAY, TROUBLESOME YOUTH, YOU KNOW, HAD SOME THINGS GOING ON AT HOME.
SO I MOVED IN WITH MY GRANDFATHER AND, UM, I HELPED TAKE CARE OF HIM FROM THE AGE OF 12 TO 17, UM, SOMETIME MISSING SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, STUFF TO HELP ME GO TO DOCTOR OFFICE.
HE'S A DOUBLE, DOUBLE AMPUTEE.
I WAS INSIDE TAKING CARE OF MY GRANDFATHER.
AND, UM, UH, MY DAD DIED JANUARY OF OH NINE, JANUARY OH NINE.
AND MY GRANDFATHER DIED MARCH OF OH NINE.
SO I WAS AT A PLACE, I WAS AT A PLACE OF, OF A DEATHLY PLACE.
GRIEVING, GRIEVING TWO PEOPLE.
I, I REALLY, I REALLY HAD SOME, SOME NEGATIVE DOUBT, SOME DARK THOUGHTS, SOME JUST GO LIKE THAT.
AND MY PASTOR, WHICH IS MY GODFATHER, HE STEPPED IN AND HE WAS A FATHER FIGURE, A MENTOR.
AND, UM, I SAY, HE HELPED SAVE MY LIFE, YOU KNOW, UM, GOING BACK INTO ME, EVEN NOW WITH MINISTRY WORK HAND IN HAND, I NEVER THOUGHT THAT SOMEBODY USED TO FUSS AT ME AND TELL ME WHAT KIND OF MAN I CAN BE AND WHAT COULD BE, NOW I'M SERVING IS RIGHT HAND MINISTRY.
AND, UM, AND THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, HIS WIFE AND YOU KNOW, OTHER GUYS, THEY HELPED ME TO BE THE, THE MAN I AM.
AND THEN AT THE, ALSO THE TABLE, MY WIFE WAS WITH ME AT THE TABLE.
SHE BEEN, WE GOT SINCE NINTH GRADE, YOU KNOW? REALLY? YEAH.
SO WE HAD, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OUR
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UPS AND WE HAVE HAD, AND HAVE OUR UPS AND DOWNS, AND SHE WAS THERE, UM, WITH ME, SUPPORT ME AND POINTING TO ME, TELLING ME HOW GOOD AND GREAT I CAN BE, YOU KNOW? UM, ONLY PERSON I WISH WOULD'VE BEEN AT THE TABLE WOULD BE MY LITTLE BOY.UM, MADDOX, HE WAS AT NURSERY THAT DAY, UM, TWO YEARS OLD.
HE, UM, I JUST WOULD SAY THIS, HE'S A MIRACLE WHEN THEY SAY WE COULDN'T HAVE A KID, WE PRAYED FOR HIM, AND THE WEIGHT LOSS HELPED THAT WITH THE, WITH HELP.
THEY SAY WE COULDN'T, WASN'T GONNA HAVE KID.
AND WE CONCEIVED AND
UM, DOCTOR SAY HE WASN'T GONNA DO THIS.
HE TRY SOME IN 23 DOWN SYNDROME.
AND, UM, THEY SAID, WELL, HE WASN'T GONNA SUCK.
HE WASN'T GONNA SWALLOW, HE WASN'T GONNA WALK.
HE'S, HE'S SOARING, HE'S SOARING.
SO, UM, WHEN I STOOD, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE ME SMILING, YOU SMILE.
THERE A FEW TEARS IN MY EYES RIGHT NOW.
IT'S FOR HIM, IT'S, IT'S, IT IS DEFINITELY, IT IS DEFINITELY FOR HIM AND HIM AND ABLE TO ANGEL, YEAH.
HIM TO SEE HIS DAD DOING THESE TYPE OF THINGS.
THAT I KEPT IT LOW THAT HE CAN SEE IT.
IT'S REAL LOW SO HE CAN WALK UP TO THE TABLE AND SEE IT.
SO THAT'S HIS, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, SEE, YOU CAN, YOU CAN DO ANYTHING IF YOU PUT YOUR MIND TO IT.
YOU KNOW THIS, THIS WHOLE TIME, I, I'M, I'M SITTING HERE TALKING TO YOU, IT'S LIKE, MAN, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE SAY, BUT GOD, BUT YEAH, BUT GOD, BUT HARD WORK PAYS OFF.
UM, DON'T NEVER DOUBT YOURSELF.
PEOPLE, YOU AROUND BE LIKE A SPONGE, YOU KNOW, IRON SHARPENS IRON.
YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TWO EARS, ONE MOUTH.
LISTEN TWICE AS MUCH AS YOU TALK, BUT JUST, JUST PAY ATTENTION TO THOSE THAT YOU ARE CONNECTED TO WHAT YOU WANT.
AND IF YOU MISS IT, YOU KNOW, I, I HAVE A THING I TELL MY KIDS ALL THE TIME, SHOOT FOR THE STARS, BUT MISS AT THE MOON, I'M STILL UP THERE IN THE ATMOSPHERE.
WELL, CA WE DIDN'T REALLY KNOW EACH OTHER WELL, I DIDN'T KNOW ALL THIS ABOUT YOU.
LIKE I SAID, THIS WAS VERY UNSCRIPTED.
AND I CAN SEE, I CAN SEE WHY YOU'VE BEEN SUCCESS.
AND YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO OVERCOME ON MANY FRONTS.
AND I THINK WE'RE VERY, VERY LUCKY TO HAVE YOU.
AND, AND I, I JUST THINK THAT WE'RE JUST ONE JEFFERSON EMBARRASS, JUST ONE FEATHER IN YOUR CAP.
YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF INCREDIBLE THINGS GOING ON IN YOUR LIFE.
THIS IS NOT, THIS IS ONLY BEGINNING.
AND IT'S THAT ATTITUDE THAT YOU JUST WILL, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE MANY, MANY INCREDIBLE THINGS HAPPEN IN YOUR LIFE.
AND ESPECIALLY RAISING YOUR 2-YEAR-OLD, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A LOT OF GOOD THINGS AHEAD.
WE'RE LUCKY TO HAVE YOU IN JEFFERSON PARISH.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE AND FOR WORKING FOR US.
AND WE REALLY WORK, WE WORK FOR THE PEOPLE OF JEFFERSON PARISH, BUT WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE YOU.