“This experience broke something in me—but it also opened something,” he reportedly told a friend. “I want to help kids like Mateo, whether they stay a week or a lifetime. Because love—real love—is never wasted.”
He’s also exploring partnerships to expand access to private health insurance plans for low-income foster families, a move he hopes will give children more stable access to diagnostic care and wellness support.
And while he may no longer see Mateo every morning, Pete Hegseth carries his memory in every room of his home—and every beat of his heart.
A short week. A lifetime of impact. A heartbreak… and a promise to never stop fighting for the voiceless.
Because sometimes, even the most patriotic warriors carry their deepest battles in silence.
