Matt Higgins

is hard enough and I get the offer of a lifetime to be press secretary to the mayor of New York. I would be the youngest press secretary in history, but that's like a crazy job. And Giuliani was intense. And so, but then I was like, how do I take this job? How do I do what I'm doing? But if I don't take this job now and this opportunity passes me over, it'll never come around again.

is hard enough and I get the offer of a lifetime to be press secretary to the mayor of New York. I would be the youngest press secretary in history, but that's like a crazy job. And Giuliani was intense. And so, but then I was like, how do I take this job? How do I do what I'm doing? But if I don't take this job now and this opportunity passes me over, it'll never come around again.

And I learned at that moment, we don't get to choose our timing, right? We just have to do it. But if I get this one job, it's going to enable me to achieve everything. I would make $105,000 a year at the time. And so I take the job. And then that night, my mother was in pain and very sick. And she pleaded with me not to go to work. And I remember telling her, I was like, we have no money left.

And I learned at that moment, we don't get to choose our timing, right? We just have to do it. But if I get this one job, it's going to enable me to achieve everything. I would make $105,000 a year at the time. And so I take the job. And then that night, my mother was in pain and very sick. And she pleaded with me not to go to work. And I remember telling her, I was like, we have no money left.

I cannot bring anybody over to bathe you. I have nothing. I need to go to work so I can get the check in two weeks. But if I get this check, mom, everything changes. So I go to work that day. And then as I'm sitting in the office and around 10 o'clock, Angela who worked in the office said, your mom's on the phone. And I was like, oh, you're calling me already. Like, come on.

I cannot bring anybody over to bathe you. I have nothing. I need to go to work so I can get the check in two weeks. But if I get this check, mom, everything changes. So I go to work that day. And then as I'm sitting in the office and around 10 o'clock, Angela who worked in the office said, your mom's on the phone. And I was like, oh, you're calling me already. Like, come on.

And she's like, oh, you know, when you call an ambulance, they insist that you go to the hospital. I was like, that's great. Who'd you, you know, you called an ambulance. She's like, yeah. And I said, well, tell, ask them where you're going. And she said, we're going to Long Island Jewish Hospital. I remember all the details. And I didn't think it was an emergency.

And she's like, oh, you know, when you call an ambulance, they insist that you go to the hospital. I was like, that's great. Who'd you, you know, you called an ambulance. She's like, yeah. And I said, well, tell, ask them where you're going. And she said, we're going to Long Island Jewish Hospital. I remember all the details. And I didn't think it was an emergency.

I actually was excited that somebody else maybe would step in. I always wanted somebody to step in and relieve me of this. And then I left and I took my time. By the time I had gotten to the hospital, she had died five minutes beforehand. So I don't know the moral of that story. I share it for a few reasons. One, I knew it was going to end this way. And I knew I only had a limited amount of time.

I actually was excited that somebody else maybe would step in. I always wanted somebody to step in and relieve me of this. And then I left and I took my time. By the time I had gotten to the hospital, she had died five minutes beforehand. So I don't know the moral of that story. I share it for a few reasons. One, I knew it was going to end this way. And I knew I only had a limited amount of time.

And other people did not act like it was a crisis. But I trusted my instincts. I also knew that the only way I had any shot was to go ahead and upend the rules and get there faster. And then lastly, I don't regret going to work that day. Because...

And other people did not act like it was a crisis. But I trusted my instincts. I also knew that the only way I had any shot was to go ahead and upend the rules and get there faster. And then lastly, I don't regret going to work that day. Because...

If I had not taken that job, if I had not done what I needed to do, you then spend the rest of your life feeling resentful, but more importantly, blaming others, right? I'd be sitting here going, oh, my mother held me back. And I actually think that's a lie. Nobody really holds us back at the end of the day. And so... I know that's a heavy story, but that is what happened during those 10 years.

If I had not taken that job, if I had not done what I needed to do, you then spend the rest of your life feeling resentful, but more importantly, blaming others, right? I'd be sitting here going, oh, my mother held me back. And I actually think that's a lie. Nobody really holds us back at the end of the day. And so... I know that's a heavy story, but that is what happened during those 10 years.

She died that day and the mayor was so kind. My mother always loved Queens College. It was the one place she felt happy. And he said to me, you know, is there anything I could do for you that would be helpful? I was like, you know what? If you could arrange for her casket to go through the campus, That would give her dignity. And so he arranged for like a motorcade.

She died that day and the mayor was so kind. My mother always loved Queens College. It was the one place she felt happy. And he said to me, you know, is there anything I could do for you that would be helpful? I was like, you know what? If you could arrange for her casket to go through the campus, That would give her dignity. And so he arranged for like a motorcade.

My brother came up to me at the wake and he's like, Matthew, was mom a maid woman? Like, is she in the mafia? Like, who the hell? Who are these people? And Giuliani had arranged for her to get like a head of state funeral. So it was a pretty... But anyway, that's my... Very tragic beginning. I'm sorry to take this so heavy. Anybody listening?

My brother came up to me at the wake and he's like, Matthew, was mom a maid woman? Like, is she in the mafia? Like, who the hell? Who are these people? And Giuliani had arranged for her to get like a head of state funeral. So it was a pretty... But anyway, that's my... Very tragic beginning. I'm sorry to take this so heavy. Anybody listening?

I always joke, I'm sure everyone feels the same way. Like I would love a clean shot on goal for once, you know what I mean? Like a straight path or even a little bit of a lotto ticket, maybe not the big one, but like a scratch off, you know, but it didn't take any work and it all just worked out perfectly, but that's not how life goes.

I always joke, I'm sure everyone feels the same way. Like I would love a clean shot on goal for once, you know what I mean? Like a straight path or even a little bit of a lotto ticket, maybe not the big one, but like a scratch off, you know, but it didn't take any work and it all just worked out perfectly, but that's not how life goes.