By U.S. Senator Deb Fischer

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Another summer has come and gone.

In August alone, I logged more than 2,000 miles driving our vast and beautiful state. Along the way, I spoke with Nebraska families in communities from Lincoln to Chadron, Omaha to Scottsbluff, and many, many places in between. Whether visiting the state fair in Grand Island, attending the investiture of our new federal judge in Omaha, or simply enjoying a cup of coffee with citizens in Thedford, Sidney, Bridgeport, or Kimball, it was great to be back in Nebraska.

During my travels, I experienced some truly beautiful and inspiring moments. Each provided different insights on our state, people, and country. As summer ends, I wanted to reflect on three memories that stood out. Their circumstances were different; their message was the same.

The first came at an agriculture roundtable in Alliance, where I met a farmer named Kendall Busch. His crops were destroyed by hail seven years in a row. Despite this immense hardship, Kendall never quit. He kept coming back. Now, as president of the Nebraska Sugarbeet Growers Association, he helps other farmers weather similar challenges.

A second inspiring moment came during the Olympic Games. Like many Nebraskans, I enjoyed cheering for Team USA and was immensely proud that our state had four athletes competing in Rio de Janeiro. Surprisingly, one of our nation’s proudest moments came in defeat.

During the women's 5,000 meter race, New Zealand runner Nikki Hamblin tripped, falling to the ground, and colliding with American Abbey D'Agostino. Before she could comprehend the sudden disaster, Hamblin felt the American runner’s hand on her shoulder and heard her say, “Get up, get up! We have to finish! This is the Olympic Games. We have to finish this.'" Abbey herself was severely injured, but the two strangers finished the race together. For their sportsmanship, the International Olympic Committee honored both women with the prestigious Fair Play award.

The runner in Rio and the farmer in Nebraska show us something special, something great: the nobility of the human spirit. They chose their own destiny, despite events beyond their control. Instead of succumbing to disappointment, bitterness, or anger, they chose to answer tragedy with tenacity. In doing so, they embody endurance, sacrifice, and inner strength. 

I found that same example in the young sailors I accompanied during drills aboard a ballistic missile submarine at the end of August. I was invited as a guest of the U.S. Navy to attend a submarine missile launch and observe the heroic work in which our uniformed men and women take part every day around the globe. From below the surface, I observed the exceptional members of the Navy’s “silent service” as they conducted their drills. It was a proud moment to see them carry out their indispensable mission of nuclear deterrence with precision and dedication.

As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, it is my privilege and responsibility to ensure these sailors, and every member of our military, have the resources needed to carry out their missions. These sailors serve in far-flung corners of the world, for months on end, in close quarters. They do so willingly, denying themselves many comforts, even daylight, all to keep our country safe. Like the farmer and the athlete, they embody that indomitable human spirit.

Each of these stories reveals a greater message: we only become truly great when we serve others, as Kendall shared his knowledge to help other farmers, as Abbey sacrificed Olympic gold for her fellow runner, and as those young sailors do every day for all of us.

Everyone has the capacity for greatness. Whether raising families or crops, running in Rio or running a local nonprofit, serving others at home, overseas, or under the seas, we can all inspire others to make our world a more beautiful place.

As I return to the Senate, I will carry with me the inspiration I gained from these people and the many others I was fortunate to meet this August in Nebraska. By serving you in Congress, I hope to ensure our country remains a place where that human spirit can flourish. 

Thank you for taking part in our democratic process. I look forward to visiting with you again next week.