It arrived 41 years ago, but Cheryl Nyeholt remembers it like it was yesterday.
It was the day a personal letter of thanks arrived in the mail from the White House, signed in writing by then U.S. president, Ronald Reagan.
About two months earlier, on March 30, 1981, Reagan had narrowly survived an assassination attempt in Washington, D.C.
U.S. president shot
The president, his bodyguard, a D.C. police officer and the White House press secretary were all shot, but all made it out of hospital alive.
At the time, Nyeholt – a lifelong Richmondite who had closely followed Reagan’s acting and political career – owned and operated Gardenia florists in Richmond’s Times Square.
So she used her industry connections to have flower arrangements sent to Reagan and his bodyguard, while they were in hospital.
“My letter made it into the Richmond News on May 20, 1981. I still have the cutting and the letter and envelope from President Reagan,” said Nyeholt, 70, who thought she had lost the precious keepsakes.
Keepsakes found
It was only when her niece dropped off some belongings at her new home in Courtyard Gardens that the newspaper cutting and White House letter resurfaced.
“When I got sick about five years ago, my niece took care of all my stuff,’ said Nyeholt.
“Just the other day she dropped a whole ton of stuff off and there it was.
“I still remember how shocked I was when the letter came in.”
In the letter, the president said that “knowing of your friendship encourages me daily.
“From the bottom of my heart, thank you for caring.”
