Thank you and happy holidays

The Bennett family wants to say thanks and to wish the entire CNMI a happy and safe holiday season. We have always been a public family and I’m offering this public thank you as our family has truly become public figures over the years. Over the past 30 years the Bennett family members have continuously been in the public spotlight for one thing or another, garnering the support of the community for our accomplishments and accolades. It has truly been a great journey for our family, thanks to the many people in our community who have constantly supported us and our family will forever be so thankful.

There is no doubt that our daughters have garnered the support of the CNMI over the years, which is why I wanted to express our family’s appreciation during this Thanksgiving season. Just as a reminder in case some have forgotten or didn’t even know: Shequita, our eldest, was the first Miss Marianas Universe to represent the CNMI in the Miss Universe pageant and she is now a sergeant in the U.S. Air Force; Yvonne was known as “the Sprint Queen of Micronesia” when she brought home five golds and a silver medal with two records from the Palau Micronesian Games along, with her accomplishments in her acting career, winning the “Best Supporting Actress” at the 2019 Utah Film Festival, which also brought the film Love Kennedy to the CNMI; and Yvette, the youngest of the Dinga, who was Miss Idaho USA, being the first from the CNMI in the Miss USA Pageant in Baton Rouge and being the first runner-up in the Miss USA Bikini Pageant in Miami.

As for myself, I am so thankful for all the support I have gotten over the years as the first and only elected teacher representative to the Board of Education, the second of only two Fulbright-Hays scholars from the CNMI, the only James Madison Fellow recognized by the U.S. Congress from the CNMI, authoring the only Social Studies textbook based on the Marianas for elementary students and, more recently, being recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the NMI Humanities Council.

As readers can see, the CNMI has done a lot of cheering in support of our family and I just wanted the public to know that our family has not forgotten you and that we truly appreciate all the support you have given and continue to give.

But with all the accomplishments of our girls and myself, it has been my wife, Lillian Marie “Doll” DeLeon Guerrero-Bennett, who has been the silent cornerstone and backbone of our family. It was her love and dedication as a mother and wife that allowed our daughters and myself to be so successful. I would indeed be remiss not to mention such a wonderful woman and offer her a public thanks that she truly deserves during this Thanksgiving and holiday season.

FYI, I didn’t write this to brag or boast as some may think but to truly express a sincere thanks to the people for their support with all the things our family have accomplished over the years. It was also weighing heavily on my mind to thank the people of the CNMI for all the prayers and support you have recently given in support of our oldest, Shequita. Our family is just so thankful that she is now recovering from a heart attack that almost took her life. So, a special thank you CNMI for all the prayers and support for our daughter. My wife and I are wishing all of you back home a happy Thanksgiving and holiday season from Germany where we are with Shequita. Please stay safe and get vaccinated!

Ambrose M. Bennett
Kagman, Saipan