To the Editor:

My name is Anita Hollis, a single mother of two boys in Lisbon, NY. I'm writing to support Blake Gendebien. This is out of character for me. I studied Political Science in college but avoided politics ever since and became an RN.

I have a unique opportunity to speak to who Blake and his wife, Carmen, are as people. At first, our interactions were small town small talk. Blake coached my kids' soccer. I chatted with Carmen at her spa, Glow.

That changed in October 2019, when my son survived an almost fatal dirtbike accident. He was airlifted to Upstate Hospital in Syracuse and spent 21 days in the children's hospital, including his 12th birthday in the pediatric ICU. Amid the outpouring of support, the Gendebiens stood out. They made multiple trips to Syracuse with balloons, cake, and letters I read to my sedated son. Carmen found us gas cards so my younger son could visit, and texted daily asking what we needed, long after discharge.

This was all before politics, before it mattered how "they looked." They never posted about it. They simply did it because they're good people.

Truly kind people are rare in government. Let's vote for Blake.

Anita Hollis
Lisbon