An Alabama man was among the first to announce President Donald Trump's victory on November 5.
Ric Mayers, who grew up in small-town Lamar County, never dreamed he would be where he was that night.
"I was celebrating with the president," Mayers told 1819 News. "It was an amazing experience. There were so many factors that were extremely impressive about it."
Mayers, an investor and owner of Midstates Petroleum, was at Mar-a-Lago with the president-elect. It wasn't Mayers' first time at Mar-a-Lago. He and his wife were married there. It was the best night of his life. Now, he says, the two best nights of his life were spent at the exclusive club.
As results from states were called, Mayers said the excitement grew. People cheered and celebrated. Early in the evening, he said he tried to talk to Trump's loved ones, like Donald Trump, Jr., to help calm their nerves.
"The family was very nervous, but when you look over, you see the president laid back in his chair, you know," Mayers remembered. "He was just talking like it didn't bother him. Just cool and calm and collected as you've ever seen."
From his perspective, Trump was optimistic throughout the evening.
"It was insane because he was just so confident he was going to win and that the American people were going to turn him back to office," he said. "And the reality was if he didn't win, he definitely was probably going to spend the remainder of his years in jail, if not some years in jail."
"It was just so impressive to see how cool and calm he was," Mayers continued.
Knowing the president, Mayers said he wanted others to see who Trump really is.
"He cares," Mayers said. "He cares about people. He's friends with people. He actually is a Christian and people don't want to believe it, but he really is a Christian. I think the biggest thing is he cares. I mean, he always calls and checks on people."
After all he's been through, two assassination attempts and political lawfare, Mayers said Trump continues to fight for what's best for America.
"Just like when he got shot, he yelled, 'Fight, fight, fight!' three times. That's his entire mentality is 'fight' and he's fighting for the country," Mayers explained.
Just after 11 p.m. on November 5, as friends and family mingled at Mar-a-Lago, Mayers saw Elon Musk suddenly preparing to leave. He said Musk told him according to his analysis, Trump won the election.
"This was at 11 o'clock Alabama time," Mayers remembered. "I said, 'What? He said, 'Yeah, we're heading over to the convention center to get ready to do our victory speech. We've won the election by my analysis."
Mayers said the analysis came from an app Musk built. Joe Rogan discussed Musk's app last week, stating that the data collected showed results four hours before they were announced.
For a small circle in the room, Mayers said that was the moment excitement filled the air.
Mayers posted the results on social media at 11:08 p.m.
"Realistically, I probably was the first person in the entire U.S. that knowingly announced President Trump just won the election," he said.
Mayers was among the likes of the Steve Wynn family, Jeffrey Yass and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. He said that would not be the case in any other world.
"A guy from small Vernon, Alabama, normally should not be here," Mayers told 1819 News. "I think that is a testament to the people around me that we're here today. I never envisioned that; Never thought that we'd have that relationship."
SEE ALSO: Ric Mayers: 26 reasons I'm voting for Donald Trump
Following his victory speech from the West Palm Beach Convention Center, Trump returned to Mar-a-Lago. It was just before 5 a.m. Wednesday morning, and Mayers was there to greet him.
"He showed up with all the security detail," Mayers remembered. "I've been around a lot and never seen that much detail. I came in; I greeted him and he gave me a hug. I mean, I probably squeezed the hell out of him when I hugged him because I was just so excited."
Mayers said he hopes his story is inspirational. He also wants people to know that Donald Trump is more than a president. He said he's a real person with a big heart.
"So, here's the thing about people don't know about President Trump: He's a man of the people," he explained. "He's just a man of the people. He comes down from playing golf, and you're having lunch, and he's like, 'What's happening, fellas?"
"And you want to talk about work ethic," Mayers continued. "He works so hard. I mean, every single night he's getting in, he's not going to sleep. He's getting in close to 1 a.m. every single night, getting in bed, but he's not going to bed. Then he's out the door before 8 a.m. on a plane."
With Trump as president, Mayers says there is hope for the country. He believes Trump's economic plan will lower prices on domestic goods and services, create more jobs for Americans and lower taxes.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email erica.thomas@1819news.com.
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