On March 6, 2016, we sadly lost not only the wife of our 40th president, but a talented woman who left a remarkable impact on our nation. Nancy Reagan, then Anne Frances Robbins, both entertained us and was heavily involved with organizations that have benefited our society.
In her earlier life, Reagan explored her talent of being an actress. She started off by appearing as a National Foundation of Infantile Paralysis volunteer in a memorable short film shown in theatres to raise donations for the crusade against polio. On top of this, she landed roles left and right for Broadway, movies, and on-the-road productions.
During her shining Hollywood career, she met the soon-to-be love of her life: Ronald Reagan. The two met in November of 1949 and dated for three years prior to getting married. Their marriage was labeled as, “The greatest love affair in the history of American Presidency” by Charlton Heston (American actor/political activist).
Nancy Reagan was not only an outstanding woman, but also a person who made a difference. Nancy Reagan won awards such as the “Presidential Medal of Freedom” and the “Congressional Gold Medal.” From raising awareness of her husband’s Alzheimer’s disease to generally helping the public, Reagan was all about making a difference and sparking change. One of her most well known campaigns “Just Say No” was a huge success, which informed people of drug awareness. This campaign was designed to teach young people about drugs and the true dangers of peer pressure. Once this was launched, she continued to be actively involved by traveling more than 250,000 miles throughout the U.S. and other nations visiting drug abuse prevention programs and drug rehabilitation centers. The term “Just Say No” started to become a popular saying in the 1980’s, and has remained well-known today.
Nancy Reagan definitely brought class to the White House and so much more. She was not only a First Lady, but also an inspirational woman. She would not stand to just be “the president’s wife” and chose to create her own movements. She will always be remembered by her incredible impact on society today.
