As October moves forward and as we continue reaching out in support of Hillary, I want to take a moment to embrace autumn and reflect upon the incredible woman who brought us together.  She has inspired every single one of us in different ways, and each of us owns a unique story that illustrates how Hillary has touched our lives.  Her reach spans decades of time and unifies scores of diverse fans who join in support of her, just like a meshing of the changing seasons.  I routinely interact with many fans from different parts of the country, all of whom have come together to share inspiring tales, offer support and debate strategies in her honor.  So as we battle time and continue pressing onward, I wanted to share three heartwarming stories from three different fans, each of whom had her life changed forever by Hillary’s influence.  I asked these fans to write a brief summary of their experiences, because I believe these stories can best be told through their own words, and I bring them to you now with their full consent.  What follows is an account of how one amazing woman defined a little girl’s birthday wish, nurtured healing in the face of tragedy and forged a bond that extended from Oakdale to Llanview.

Tara from MI writes: “Every soap fan has that one story or one character which draws them in and compels them to watch day after day. For me, that character was Nora Gannon. At six-and-a-half years old, I was captivated by the fun, red-headed, Jewish lawyer who ate junk food, listened to Rock ‘n Roll and loved to dance. I had never been so drawn to a character and to this day (fourteen years later), she is still my favorite. One afternoon I was watching the show with my grandmother, as I usually did, and she asked what I wanted for my birthday. After giving it a great deal of thought, I declared that I wanted Nora to come to my birthday party. She laughed and thought it was cute, but I was serious. For my seventh birthday, I wanted to meet Hillary B. Smith!  As the years passed, I kept watching OLTL.  Every day, I would rush home from school to watch my recording.  I just had to know if Nora killed Sarah, if Bo and Nora would admit their feelings for one another, how she would handle the rape trial or if she would regain her vision. It didn’t matter what the story was or who she was paired with - quickly I became much more of a Hillary fan than a Nora fan. Earlier this year, when Angela announced that Hillary was having a luncheon in NYC, I knew I had to go. It was a once-in-a-lifetime, dream come true opportunity.  When I got to the restaurant, I was completely overwhelmed. I could hardly believe that I was in the same room with her, let alone that she was sitting at my table talking to a group of us! I was blown away by how down-to-earth, kind and gracious she was towards her guests. I remember thinking that afternoon how my grandmother would have gotten a kick out of what a diehard Hillary fan I have turned into and that I was sitting at a table talking to her! Never in a million years did I think the far-fetched dream I had as a little girl to meet my favorite actress would come true, nor did I think a meeting would ever live up to my high expectations. But meeting Hillary exceeded all of my expectations. If anything, I left her luncheon an even bigger fan and more determined than ever to fight for the woman who had brought me so much joy over the years.”

Juliana from CA shares the following: “The very first time I saw Hillary on television, it was during one of the toughest periods of my life.  I’m fifty-four years-old and never watched a single episode of OLTL until early 1999.  My mother was diagnosed with lung cancer the preceding winter, and I was on leave from work in order to care for her.  My mother watched OLTL faithfully since its premiere, and since the show brought her such joy and gave me a respite from the reality of my day, I welcomed the escape.  I distinctly remember that Hillary’s face was the first I saw, and she immediately captured my attention and fascinated me.  I’m not sure if it was the smile that reached deep from her heart, or the twinkle that shines within her soulful eyes, or her soothing voice, but something reached out and touched me.  I just felt this overwhelming sense of comfort and sensed such humility and honesty emanating from this strong, powerful woman.  This just resonated like a force and pervaded Nora’s character, and I was transfixed.  In fact, I can’t even remember what was happening on the show that year because I was so fixated on Hillary!  As days passed, and as my mother’s condition slowly deteriorated, Hillary gave me something positive to look forward to and she became a source of strength for me.  My mother lost her battle with cancer later that year, but I can say with absolute certainty that I never would have been able to get through those eight or so months without Hillary’s presence in my life.  She was my light in the greatest time of darkness, and I will be forever grateful for all she gave to me.  She is the reason I still watch OLTL seven years later.  She holds such a special place in my heart, and I want her to know that when she makes a fan, she earns one for life.”

Terri from PA continues: “I’ve been a lifelong viewer of ABC soaps, having been indoctrinated three decades ago by my mother and grandmother. However, when the time came to choose my own soap, ATWT became my first choice. I began watching while Hillary was portraying Margo and at that time, Margo was the only daytime character that I truly related to. While I liked other characters on the canvas that were my own age, I didn’t feel a common bond with any of them.  Margo immediately became my role model. She represented a strong woman who was fallible and human, adept at professional success, and someone whose romantic life mimicked reality because it wasn’t perfect.  Hillary transformed Margo into someone who was beautiful in a natural way that embodied real women, and who was capable of nurturing others while retaining her fire and wit.  As time passed, I began to learn more about the vibrant and passionate woman behind the onscreen persona.  I was particularly impressed with how highly she regarded her fans, and how she carried herself with such grace when dealing with the media.  When she left I continued to watch ATWT, but my viewing experience was never the same.  Soon thereafter, I was thrilled to hear that Hillary would be joining OLTL and creating a brand new character. I was especially excited that Nora’s character was Jewish, because this would be a character I could personally relate to and one that might share my holidays onscreen.   If I had to choose one characteristic that separates Hillary from any other actor, it’s that she always commands and steals a scene - even when no dialogue is spoken.  Hillary has given me so many years of viewing pleasure through her performances in daytime, primetime and theater.  I finally had the opportunity to meet Hillary this year and she is so warm, welcoming and funny. I have her to thank for the new friends I made and for years of fond memories, and I look forward to supporting Hillary wherever the future may lead her.”