Copyright New York Post
As New York City’s outlook dimmed with its election of radical Zohran Mamdani as mayor, just 30 miles east on Long Island, the future looked bright. Gotham’s socialist revolution felt light years away from the unabashed salute to the Stars and Stripes in the suburbs Thursday at the Fox Nation Patriot Awards at Brookville’s Tilles Center for the Performing Arts. The evening is a veritable love letter to the country meant to “honor and recognize America’s finest patriots.” For all the handwringing about pols and their twisted pals who hate America, fraternity of this country’s core values — free speech, faith and family — was on full display at the glittering evening celebrating Old Glory with 2,000 exuberant and spirited attendees. High-profile personalities like Erika Kirk and First Lady Melania Trump were honored alongside everyday heroes like 13-year-old Skyler Derrington, a Camp Mystic survivor of the catastrophic summer flooding that swept through Texas, and Larry Pickett Jr., a 20-year-old West Point cadet who sprang into action and pulled a stranger out of his car just before it exploded. Unlike most vapid awards shows, it’s not a celebration of self but of sacrifice and service. While Mayor-elect Mamdani’s victory party was awash in cheers of “DSA! DSA!” from revelers worshiping the extremist Democratic Socialists of America movement, Patriot Awards attendees thundered with unambiguous calls for country with chants of “USA! USA!” Forget the smug, self-righteous and self-hating awards shows, where it’s cool to have contempt for your country. This was a celebration of the anti-elite, the commitment to the eternal optimism of a nation. It gathered those who recognize the greatness of this country, not those who turn their back on it. The many stories of heroism and courage brought to light define the moral heart of America. For emcee Sean Hannity, the longtime Fox News host, it’s “the only awards show that matters.” “We’re not patting ourselves on the back” like typical Hollywood awards shows, the Long Island native told the energized crowd, who traveled from as far as Alaska to celebrate. “We’re here to honor America’s true patriots. We are here to honor what makes this country great, the single best country that God . . . ever gave man.” Honorees included Devarjaye “DJ” Daniel, the inspiring 13-year-old from Houston who captured hearts across the country for pursuing his dream of becoming a law-enforcement officer amidst his brave battle against a rare and incurable cancer. The irrepressible youngster, who won over President Trump, defied every odd by collecting badges — from local police departments to the Secret Service to Border Patrol — and breaking a world record in the process. These aren’t celebrities in a conventional sense. It’s the story of America itself: ordinary people who do extraordinary things without ever chasing recognition or the spotlight. During our battle of conflicting ideals and values for the soul of this country, the word “patriot” can become corny — even verboten. But newly minted “Young Patriots” like DJ Daniel and the scores of unsung heroes around the country don’t look to finger-point amidst challenges. When there’s a problem they bootstrap, not blame. At the seventh annual Patriot Awards, good luck spotting disaffection. Here, it was admiration as far as the eye could see. After all, where else but in America can you move from a rent-controlled one-bedroom in Astoria, Queens, to Gracie Mansion overnight? What a timely rebuke of the bad ideas cravenly peddled during Gotham’s mayoral election. This is a group that cherishes faith, family and freedom. Elite teen athletes Alexa Anderson and Reese Eckard took a bold stand and stepped off the podium they shared with a biological male in silent protest of males participating in female sports during this year’s Oregon high school state championships. They endured vicious attacks, but the track-and-field stars knew they were fighting for fairness for generations of girls to come. “I thought it was important to take a stand. We want protections in our sports and we’re going to fight for them,” Eckard told The Post. Indeed, the awards are a reminder that every citizen always has a seat at the table, an opportunity to stand up for the freedoms that are the United States’ beating heart. There’s a great big sky across America — and while the radical-activist class chooses to identify the values we hold dear as the black cloud hanging over the country, the people at these awards look up and see seeming obstacles only as silver linings of possibilities. What perfect timing for anyone disillusioned about the direction of the country. If the guests at the Patriot Awards reveal anything, it’s that sovereignty is our compass. Salute to Service Award recipient Maj. James Capers, the 88-year-old trailblazing veteran who became the first African American to command a Marine Recon Company, is an example of this country’s indelible legacy. “I saw the darkness,” he told The Post, recalling his service on three continents as a field agent during the Cold War and sustaining severe injuries in Vietnam. “And this country is the light.” The South Carolina native, born to a family of sharecroppers during the Jim Crow era, went on to bravely serve his country in elite units during his decades-long military career and was awarded the Silver Star, three Purple Hearts and two Bronze Stars. The renewed effort to award him the Medal of Honor, the nation’s top military distinction, is slated to be taken to the president’s desk. These stories — of tragedy and triumph, heartbreak and hope — represent the promise of this great country. When Camp Mystic survivor Skyler Derrington belted out her personal and poignant rendition of “Hallelujah” — against the backdrop of devastating scenes from the Central Texas floods that killed 103 people, including 27 girl campers — the heartrending tune instantly became the emotional highlight of the evening. To this audience, every note was a whisper from God, a promise of hope for a new beginning. The 13-year-old hero carried a sensitive strength when she collected her Faith Award. I witnessed the most profound, if humble, expressions of love for this country. Marian Dale Riley, a 101-year-old from Canada who became a US citizen at 19, told The Post what makes this country exceptional is the “opportunity.” “You can be anything you want to be here — you just have to try. It’s up to us” to fulfill the American dream, said the Anchorage resident. “It’s up to us to carry it on. We can’t let it go.” These folks aren’t looking for handouts. They believe in free and fair markets. They don’t want big government — they believe in the promise of self-governance. Don Mangieri, a 70-year-old retired city sanitation worker, was a walking embodiment of the Patriot Awards, wrapped head to toe in the red, white and blue getup he bought online and proudly wearing his solidarity on his sleeve. “I’m very scared,” the Long Islander told The Post about Mamdani’s win. “I don’t see socialism and communism anywhere in the world that achieved anything but failure.” Invoking the memory of slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk, whose widow, Erika, won the inaugural Charlie Kirk Legacy Award, Mangieri added, “The next generation will be the people who make the difference between whether we make or break this country.” Yes, attendees were wrapped in the flag. But the real embrace was even bigger. The night felt like a hug when we needed it most. It may have been an evening of black tie and ball gowns but with a star-spangled twist. Without any of the pomp or circumstance, the night celebrated serious people who don’t take themselves too seriously. It’s people who have — or found — the freedom to chase their dreams, committing to unshakable optimism for better days. While he’s spent his career covering devastating wars around the world, Fox News war correspondent Benjamin Hall told The Post, “We musn’t forget the people who do amazing things, the unsung heroes. Sometimes you need to raise people up and show what makes community strong. “America is a country unlike any other, where hard work pays off. People can have a great idea and make anything out of it,” said the Brit. “That doesn’t happen in many parts of the world.” Melania Trump knows something about that. The Slovenian native tapped into a profound truth about the spirit of this country and the creativity that drives it. “I applaud American dreamers and innovators who embrace originality,” said the first lady during her speech for winning the Patriot of the Year Award. “When someone creates from conviction a song, a movement, an idea, it triples outward, uniting our people,” she said to the crowd of besotted dreamers and risk-takers. “Daring to chase your dream is the American way. Innovation isn’t accidental here. It’s in our DNA. In this country, innovation is a form of patriotism.” We may be pushing 250 this July — but based on the fortitude and focus of these patriots, it feels like we’re just getting started.
