The City of Pensacola and the Blue Angels Association, along with the First Lady of Pensacola, An Hayward, are joining together to introduce the City to the silent heroes behind the Blue Angels.
The City and the Blue Angels Association are now shifting focus to the spouses of the Blue Angels with an event that will showcase the fabulous spouses of the team. The event will include a photography showcase and a meet and greet at the Artel Gallery on Gallery Night, May 20 from 6:00pm to 7:30pm.
An Hayward, wife of Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward, relates to the issues of being a supportive spouse and is heavily involved in this project to showcase these spouses. “As the wife of a mayor, I get a lot of questions about what it is like to be married to a politician and it is no different with the spouses behind these famous figures,” Hayward said. “I am all about empowering women. They always say behind every great man lies a greater woman and this is especially true in this case.”
Hayward has enlisted her talents as a fashion model and conducted a photoshoot to highlight the spouses of the Blues. “On behalf of the City and myself, I invite you to meet and greet these amazing women at the Artel Gallery on Gallery Night, May 20,” Hayward said.
The often forgotten piece of the Blue Angels are their spouses. There are many difficulties of being married to a service member such as adjusting to their schedule and dealing with the erratic patterns of deployments and training. The Blue Angels are on the road about 280 days out of the year. Their spouses are frequently left to struggle with playing the mom, dad, coach and mentor roles vacated by their spouses when they are called to duty.
“Pensacola is a special place not only to the Blue Angels, but also to their families” said Mayor of Pensacola Ashton Hayward. “Sharing their story is an important part of who we are as a community, the story behind the Blue Angels and their spouses gives a great perspective into the life of a naval aviator.”