Marcelas Owens, who lost his mother to pulmonary hypertension at age 27, has made headlines as the 11-year-old health care activist to inspire health care reform.
WATCH MARCELAS OWENS INTERVIEWED ON COUNTDOWN HERE:
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Owens’ mother Tiffany had been unemployed and without health insurance at the time of her death, inspiring him to tell her story to politicians across the country, lobbying for reform. His efforts however were met with ridicule from Republican legislators and other conservatives, such as talk show hosts Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and Michelle Malkin accusing Democrats of using Owens as a “kiddie shield” for health care reform, and attacking Owens, describing the story of his mother’s death as a “sob story.”
In this clip Owens talks about his experience of witnessing history as he stood next to the president—both of whom were wearing matching blue ties—as he signed the health care bill.