Teen impressed by Obama’s style
Treated for lymphoma, the seventh-grader is now cancer free
WASHINGTON — Nicholas Hegedus had formed images in his mind of what it would be like to meet the president of the United States. But the Las Vegas teenager’s encounter Wednesday with President Barack Obama didn’t go exactly as he had pictured.
For one thing, he hadn’t expected that Obama would personally open the door to the Oval Office and welcome him and his mother inside. Or joke with him about having to wear a tie to work. Or regret not having time to shoot some baskets.
“I thought that we were going to just go up and meet him and be done with it,” said Hegedus, 13. Instead he and Obama spent 20 minutes together during which the president asked about his school and his health, and Nicholas asked about the vagaries of being president. Like, does he really need to wear a suit to work every day?
Nicholas asked to meet the president two years ago while he was undergoing treatments for Burkitt’s lymphoma, and it was arranged through the MakeA-Wish Foundation. This year, the seventh-grader at Schofield Middle School was declared free of the cancer, making the trip to the nation’s capital a celebration of sorts.
Nicholas and his mother, Paula Kalman, were given a private White House tour while waiting for their appointment. When they got to the Oval Office, the family was caught by surprise when Obama himself welcomed them inside.
“I didn’t think that the president would open the door at all, that someone would open the door for him, and he would be at his desk,” Nicholas said. “He was pretty much how you see him on TV. He said, ‘Hi, how are you doing?’ And of course being in shock, I said ‘I’m OK.’
“He surprised me. I thought he would be like, ‘Nice to meet you I’m the president,’ and I thought I would be asking him a lot of questions and he would respond. Instead he surprised me by asking questions about me.” “He seems like a really nice guy.” Kalman, a stage technician with the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 720, said she stood off to the side, watching her son in conversation with the president. “I was blown away,” she said. Nicholas scored Obama’s signature on a basketball but couldn’t talk the president into a shoot-around. Obama joked about what would happen if he
Obama talk outranked Disneyland for teen
ended up with a black eye and had to go on television.
Nicholas also left the White House with impressive swag including a ball cap from the Secret Service, a White House embossed Frisbee and an official coin.
Hegedus and his mother will be able to relive the experience in a few weeks when the White House photos of their meeting arrive.
For security, Oval Office visitors are told to leave their cellphones and other personal items in an anteroom, so Kalman couldn’t snap away on her iPhone.
No worries, though. Mother and son said their memories will be strong.
Nicholas said he was convinced he made the right wish to meet the president.
“I think I made a great choice,” he said. “Not everyone gets to meet the president. Anyone can go to Disneyland if they put enough money aside and time.” Contact Review-Journal writer Steve Tetreault at stetreault@reviewjournal.com or 202-783-1760. Find him on Twitter: @STetreaultDC.