Two Owensboro women found themselves just feet away from President Donald Trump this week after a last-minute road trip and a long day standing in stormy weather landed them a spot directly behind the President during a rally in northern Kentucky.
Janet Wink and Tonya Murphy traveled to Hebron on Tuesday after learning only days earlier that Trump would appear at a campaign rally at the Verst Logistics facility there. The event supported Congressional candidate Ed Gallrein in a Republican primary challenge against longtime U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie.
For Wink, the trip began as a spontaneous plan among a group of friends.
“It started out as a road trip for five of us ladies that are really close,” Wink said. “We talked about going to see him and waiting for the opportunity to get closer, not really sure how close he was going to get.”
After learning about the rally Monday night through a friend’s family member, the group quickly made plans and secured a hotel. But severe weather forecasts and the uncertainty of the event caused others to drop out, leaving Wink and Mur determined to go.
“I looked at Tonya and told her, ‘This was on your bucket list,’” Wink said. “If you want to go, let’s go. Let’s do this.”
The two arrived before daylight on Wednesday morning, eventually standing outside for hours as rain and high winds swept through the area.
“We were there about 6:30 in the morning,” Wink said. “There were tornado watches, thunder and lightning, blowing rain. It was a mess, but I told her I would do it all over again.”
Murphy said the pair came prepared for the conditions.
“I had trash bags and tape, and taped trash bags to my shoes,” Mur said. “We had throwaway chairs, ponchos, and even a painter’s tarp in case the winds got really bad.”
Despite the weather, the women remained first in line for general admission as crowds formed around the facility.
“We didn’t want to drive three and a half hours and get to the door and be told it was full,” Murphy said.
According to the Associated Press, the rally drew a large crowd to the Boone County logistics facility, where supporters gathered to hear Trump speak and promote the congressional campaign.
After hours in line and passing through security inside the building, Wink and Murphy were unexpectedly offered the chance to stand on the stage behind the President.
“There was a lady there who asked us if we wanted to sit or be behind the President,” Wink said. “We both looked at each other and said, ‘Heck yeah, we do.’”
The women ultimately found themselves an estimated 15 feet behind Trump as he addressed the crowd.
“When he walked in, the electricity in the place changed,” Wink said. “They started playing ‘YMCA,’ and the whole place just erupted.”
Murphy described the moment as surreal.
“That was just awesome,” Mur said. “It was almost like a high or something. We were just on cloud nine.”
Their appearance on camera during the rally quickly caught the attention of friends and family back home.
“Our phones blew up,” Wink said. “People were taking screenshots of their TVs and sending them to us.”
Mur said the experience marked the completion of a long-held goal.
“Bucket list checked off,” Murphy said. “The plan was just to get in the door and sit in a chair. Who would have thought we’d end up standing right behind him?”
Both women said the long hours, rain-soaked clothing, and travel were well worth it.
“I told her I’d do it all over again,” Wink said. “It was just an amazing experience.”
