LEXINGTON, Ky. — It’s not the first time a student has written a letter to Governor Andy Beshear regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.
But, it's the reason behind a 6th grader’s actions that has pulled on his heartstrings.
“When I wrote the letter, originally I was going to watch a recorded show. But Gov. Beshear’s podcast recorded over it. So at first, I was annoyed because I wanted to figure out about the show,” said Xavier Wolsing, a student at Jessie Clark Middle School.
Wolsing didn’t watch the Wagon Train show that evening. Instead, he watched Gov. Beshear.
“As our top public health official, Dr. Stack has stood strong in our fight against the Coronavirus. Because of his work, thousands of people are alive today that wouldn’t be. Whether you agree or disagree with the steps that ultimately I made the calls on trying to create fear in a family is the lowest form of low,” Beshear said in a previous press conference.
Wolsing said he saw a portion of Beshear’s press conference from Jan 11.
“I started listening and he started talking about Dr. Stack’s mailbox being vandalized and I thought, 'Wow he actually seems sad about this'. Maybe he deserves, yes, some comfort. I mean anything to cheer him (up),” Wolsing said.
With a new purpose, Xavier went to his computer and started typing.
“Well from a scale 1 to 10, 10 being 'Oh my goodness that’s cruel I would never do that' and 1 being 'Meh,' I would go to about a 6. Because, I mean, this is a head person for Kentucky distribution. He's an important person. I don’t know why someone would vandalize someone who’s trying to help,” Wolsing said.
The middle-schooler also sent along $19 for a COVID-19 relief fund.
“I get $5 a week. So I’m pretty sure it was four weeks' worth,” Wolsing said.
Four weeks' worth of his allowance from chores he completed around his home which includes taking care of his cat.
“That’s the governor’s reply,” Wolsing said as he showed off the framed letter.
Within days of mailing the letter, Xavier not only received a reply but also a commemorative pin.
Ever the optimist, Xavier says there’s always a good part in every bad situation.
“If I could take one thing from this message and normal non-governor people to walk away from is that even though there’s the coronavirus I mean there’s still hope. There’s always light at the end of the tunnel,” Wolsing said.
The 6th grader says one day he hopes to meet Dr. Steven Stack and Gov. Beshear.