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Hi {{first_name}}

Wow. How are you all feeling today? Honored, humbled, grateful, joyous, thrilled — all the feels.

I have severe FOMO from my hotel room in Visalia, California, having missed being present in this hometown I love so much for this incredible cup-winning moment. I know Craig had one of the best nights of his life celebrating in the Lenovo Center parking lot.

And that wasn't all. This past weekend we watched the Knicks win the NBA Championship for the first time since 1973 and the streets of New York go wild. We know there are a lot of New Yorkers living in Raleigh, so we want to share our congratulations with you — we feel the joy of this victory right alongside you! You can share it with other New Yorkers in this Facebook update.

And then the USA won their soccer match comfortably against Paraguay, and personally for us, Australia won their match against Turkey and looked like a dangerous force.

What I took from these victories — and one reason we love sports stories so much — is the heroism that comes from the underdogs. I can't stop thinking about Bussi. For how many years he waited on the bench. For coach Brind'Amour, who believed in him enough — without all that experience behind him — to send him out to the net in the middle of the most important games of the season. And how fiercely he rose to the occasion.

He had the Vegas team hammering at him, and he broke them. Those last few minutes of the game last night were electric as he and his defensive support bounced and spun around that net, blocking out every attempt at goal.

And for our Australian Socceroos, the coach stood down the veteran captain goalkeeper at the last minute and put on the second-choice keeper — a 22-year-old who had played just two international matches. Imagine that pressure at that age. But he was a force. He saved eight shots and kept Turkey off the scoresheet. Again, he spoke about the confidence and belief the coach had in him, and how that helped him give everything he had.

And of course, the Knicks — heavy underdogs, called a rag-tag team of misfits, with captain Jalen Brunson criticized as lacking the skills to lead a team to a title. Boy, did they quiet the critics. What do the naysayers and dream stealers know about what you’re capable of?

Such beautiful lessons this week about belief, rising to the occasion, and not giving up when you're the one warming the bench — hoping one day you'll be seen — and then showing the world what you're really made of.

It's been a joy to watch it all, even from hotel rooms, restaurant and brewery TVs, and my phone screen last night at a fancy restaurant in Visalia, California. My FOMO fades when I pause and look at my alternative: making beautiful memories with my daughter and showing her how to relentlessly pursue her dreams — three days hiking through three national parks. Now we're driving to San Francisco to watch her beloved Dallas Wings play. She's thrilled the Canes won last night, which means she can focus purely on the Wings!

See you at the parade on Saturday! We'll let you know when more details are announced. And if you need a letter for your employer today, send them this one from the Governor. They have to listen to the Governor!

It’s great to see a city full of transplants and divided sporting team loyalties come together for our one Carolina team. We’re definitley a hocky town now! Enjoy all the feels this week. Carolina Proud. We deserve it

Caroline

P.S. Reply and share your stories, lessons, and memories from this past weekend!

Well, this will be sparse today thanks to my Raleigh absence this week!

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