By Madeline Otten
Correspondent
Where do you live?
“We live on Plain Dealing Road in Kents Store.”
How long have you lived in Fluvanna County? What brought you here?
“I have been in Fluvanna for most of my life. I grew up in Scottsville and moved to Kents Store, where my wife’s family is from.”
Tell us about your family –
“I have been married to my wife Sarah for 11 years and we have an 8-year-old daughter, Emmalyn. My daughter loves animals and we have a revolving door of chickens, turkeys, rabbits and whatever other animals she may want as she grows up, but she is not getting a horse. We have a 3-year-old boxer, Gus and several Llewellin Setters (bird dogs) for hunting.”
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
“I have always wanted to be a fireman.”
What was your very first job?
“My mother cleaned houses for a living and my dad was a carpenter. Growing up, they would take turns bringing me to work with them where I would work odd jobs to earn a little cash or permission to hunt. When I was old enough to obtain a worker’s permit, my first real job was at the Turners Citgo/Western Auto in the town of Scottsville.”
What do you do for a living?
“I am a lieutenant with Spotsylvania County Fire and Rescue where I’ve been for more than a decade. Prior to that, I served as fireman in another locality and have been a career fireman since shortly after graduating Fluvanna County High School in 2004. My schedule provides me the opportunity to work another job as a political consultant. I’ve worked for Dr. Ben Carson, Congressman (Tom) Garrett, Congressman (Denver) Riggleman and Senator (Mark) Peake to name a few. I am also elected to the Fluvanna County School Board where I represent the Columbia District.”
What is one of your pet peeves?
“Not taking pride in your work and failing to pay attention to detail.”
What do you like to do in your spare time?
“I don’t have much spare time, but when I do I am the volunteer fire chief in Kents Store, I enjoy working with my Llewellin Setters, collecting firearms, hunting, fishing, shooting and almost anything outdoors.”
Books or movies?
“Books because reading is key to success. The most successful and wealthiest people in America all have one thing in common, reading and I almost always read for education, rarely for entertainment.”
Favorite book/series? Favorite movie?
“She Said Yes” and “Liberty Defined” are two of my favorite books, but it’s really hard to choose. My favorite movie would have to be “Forest Gump”.
Who is your favorite sports team?
“I’m more of a NASCAR fan than anything and Clint Bowyer is my favorite driver.”
What pivotal decision helped to shape your life?
“The decision to accept Jesus as my savior is the most important decision I’ll ever make.”
Tell us about a way you have changed over the years –
“When in a supervisory role, having complicated conversations, setting expectations and holding folks accountable can be incredibly challenging and I’ve learned to strive for respect rather than popularity.”
What has surprised you about your life?
“That I’ve grown to be more and more introverted as I’ve gotten older.”
What’s one thing you hope to accomplish before you die? “I would love to travel more, specifically to Alaska.”
Tell us about one of your regrets.
“Not spending more time with my grandmother who suddenly passed away this year.”
Tell us about your proudest moment.
“I have had so many proud moments and accomplishments throughout my career, but the thing I am the proudest of is my daughter, Emmalyn. She suffered a dry drowning on Easter 2018 and I had to perform CPR on her in the back of my car while my wife drove us to the closest ambulance in Louisa. Thankfully, she is ok and suffered no long-term deficits, but it certainly puts everything in perspective. I would rather express my praise and unwavering support for every single one of her accomplishments than focus on my own.”
Favorite spot in Fluvanna County?
“There is a location on Hells Bend Road, on an old farm that I hunt and it is probably my favorite place in Fluvanna. You can see for hundreds and hundreds of yards with views of the mountains in the distance and beautiful sunsets.”
What quote or saying do you connect with most?
“I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than those attending too small a degree of it.” Thomas Jefferson
I love this quote because it describes my own principles and values in one sentence. In my opinion, primarily because of a two party political system, politicians are elected by voters who by in large want their representatives to use the government to impose their own beliefs on others rather than simply working on their principle task…protecting your liberty and that of those you may not agree with.
