As President Barack Obama gave his farewell address Tuesday night, a North Texas man took a walk down memory lane.
"It wasn't Texas kind of cold. It was a different kind of cold," Jeffrey Hills remembered about his trip to Washington D.C. in January 2009 to watch Obama take the oath of office. "I was a part of history."
Hills keeps the invitation to the inauguration in a frame next to a photo of Obama.
"I never take it down. It's always up," said Hills. "I still believe that he's the best president I've seen in my lifetime."
Hills said it was crowded in D.C. that day. What he remembered most was people crying.
"For millions of people that was a good day," Hills recalled. "I know his campaign was hope and change, but for most people it was just the possibility of inclusion."
For Hills, it was the reality of seeing history in the making.
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"It was a different kind of feeling," Hills said. "It was kind of like they felt something was on the horizon."
Next week, a new president will take the same oath in the same place. Hills will not be there to witness it. He likened the ceremony to a blockbuster movie.
"When you see the trailers for it, that's what makes you excited about going to see it," Hills said. "I've seen the trailers. I'm not interested."
Hills said he'll have to wait and see what a Trump presidency brings.
"Seems like America is already great," Hills said.
