JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Reps. Tim Remole and Travis Fitzwater welcomed a special guest to the Capitol on Wednesday from old family friend Julian Mitten.
Julian, who has Down syndrome, has been friends with Remole since they played backyard games together when Remole was growing up in Bourbonnais, Illinois in the 1970s.
“He lived a driveway between us,” Remole said. “I have 5 brothers. So we started including Julian in all of our whiffle ball games, our basketball games, anything that we were playing, we just made him a part of it. We just kind of accepted him in our family.”
Mitten made such a mark on the Remole that when they moved to Missouri in 1974, they invited him out for a couple of weeks every year. It’s been a tradition that’s continued.
The visits included this week, when Remole went to the statehouse for Constitution Day and decided to take Julian along. He came to visit Remole and Fitzwater, Remole’s son-in-law, to see where they work and what they do.
He even got to speak from the House floor.
It’s the best time when Uncle Julian comes to #JCMO to visit. He loved introducing himself on the mic on the House floor. #DrJulian pic.twitter.com/p0RRt7GqTE
— Travis Fitzwater (@travisfitzwater) September 21, 2016
“It was great,” Remole said. “He talked on the mic and introduced himself. He’s running for president this year.”
He also thought the Capitol was beautiful and told Remole so a couple of times. He got to meet a bunch of the staff, who gave him little gifts.
“My daughter Annie, Travis’ wife, they had a big tea party with him and took him shopping,” Remole said. “So he had a big day. He just told Annie, he said ‘It’s been a wonderful day.’”
Remole said Mitten has been a special part of his family. He even tries to introduce himself as a Remole from time to time.
When Julian turned 60 this year, Remole and his brother Doug went back to visit the person remole calls “a special guy.”
While Mitten’s family told Remole that his family has been great for him, Remole insists Mitten has been a blessing for his family.
“Julian’s family has just got along with us great. His mother, before she died, she told me ‘you don’t know what your family has done for Julian, you’ll never realize,’” Remole said. “And I told her, ‘No, you don’t realize what Julian has done for us.’ My kids, my grandkids, and all of our whole family – my other brothers and their families – they just will tell you the same thing. It’s just been a great experience for all our family, young and old alike.”
