Seattle boy gets front row seat to history
»Play Video
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- An 11-year-old Seattle boy who took a personal tragedy and turned it into a fight for health care reform was by President Obama's side as he signed historic health care legislation Tuesday morning.
"I'm signing it for 11-year-old Marcelas Owens, who's also here," Obama announced as he prepared to sign the bill into law.
Marcelas received an invitation to the signing from the White House after he took his fight for healthcare reform to the nation's capitol earlier this month. Marcelas shared his story as a way to continue his mother's fight for health care reform.
Before signing the bill, the president shared Marcelas' story.
"Marcelas lost his mom to an illness and she didn't have insurance, and couldn't afford the care that she needed," Obama said.
Marcelas' mother became frequently sick, and eventually lost her job at Jack in the Box. In turn, she lost her health insurance.
Without health insurance, she didn't get the care she needed and died in 2006 of a pulmonary embolism at the age of 27, leaving Marcelas and his two younger sisters without a mom.
When she died, Marcelas took up the cause.
"So in her memory, he has told her story across America so that no other children will have to go through what his family has experienced," Obama said.
With a shake of the president's hand after the signing, Marcelas made his mark on health care and history.
"I'm signing it for 11-year-old Marcelas Owens, who's also here," Obama announced as he prepared to sign the bill into law.
Marcelas received an invitation to the signing from the White House after he took his fight for healthcare reform to the nation's capitol earlier this month. Marcelas shared his story as a way to continue his mother's fight for health care reform.
Before signing the bill, the president shared Marcelas' story.
"Marcelas lost his mom to an illness and she didn't have insurance, and couldn't afford the care that she needed," Obama said.
Marcelas' mother became frequently sick, and eventually lost her job at Jack in the Box. In turn, she lost her health insurance.
Without health insurance, she didn't get the care she needed and died in 2006 of a pulmonary embolism at the age of 27, leaving Marcelas and his two younger sisters without a mom.
When she died, Marcelas took up the cause.
"So in her memory, he has told her story across America so that no other children will have to go through what his family has experienced," Obama said.
With a shake of the president's hand after the signing, Marcelas made his mark on health care and history.
