Raised on road-construction crews and by grandparents who never quit. A working-class kid from the Heights, trying to keep working-class families here.
In 1994, I was born in Billings, Montana on the evening of August 31st at St. Vincent Hospital. I was born to my parents John W Maxwell III and Heather Long. Here, we would begin our journey into the world unknown. Six months later we would meet our lifelong best friend, Mike, and his family the Dienharts, who would help raise me for years to come.
This is when my parents decided to separate and my dual parenting had begun. My father worked for BNSF (Burlington Northern Railroad) on the chain-gangs, fighting lists of seniority for where you were sent next. He would work there for another 24 years. My mother worked for my grandparents and uncle at this time on the road crews with Scott Long Construction. My parents spent a lot of time away, where I spent most of my time between the Dienharts, who babysat me, and my grandparents.
My mother is featured in the Gazette in 1998 on the Yankee Jim Canyon project. I grew up in the road construction industry from the day I was born till 2018, when unfortunate events forced us to adapt to the future.
I attended Bench Elementary School in the Heights and prepared to enter middle school at Saint Francis Upper School, which at the time was located downtown in the old Kate Fratt Parochial School building. This is now the school my children attend, and why school choice is important to families everywhere.
I officially end my high school campaign by dropping out halfway through my senior year. I took the HiSET achieving collegiate level marks, leaving my parents very upset with me. Here, I begin my career with our family business, HL Construction, with some friends on the guardrail installation road crews.
In 2017, I took a trip of a lifetime to attend the 70th Anniversary of the Korean War in Seoul, South Korea with my grandfather, whom fought in Korea in 1953. The trip was completely covered by the Korean government as a thank you to our American soldiers. This is where I was also able to run and climb the Great Wall of China at the tail end of our trip.
My grandfather would pass away a year after. He taught me what a man was and built me into the man I am today.
On a beautiful December night, our little son was born at the very same hospital as his parents. With Kaylee, my name carries on as John Williamson Maxwell V.
We launch our company Boulder River Media. I start my new job with Great White Construction. My little brother, Chase, asks his girlfriend, Anna, to marry him in front of 17,000 screaming fans. We decide to run for House District 47.
The future is in our hands. I believe hard work should be rewarded, our rights protected, and working people shouldn't fall behind for doing everything right. I'm running to better protect our pocketbooks so we can pay our bills on time, restore respect for labor, and build a stronger working class.
This year, our little girl, Scarlett Aurelia Maxwell, was born — growing our family and our responsibilities.
A campaign for the rest of us.
