Dear Sir...

I have thought very long and hard about writing this letter to you, but can no longer hold myself back. I just have this feeling like it needs to be known just how much you have changed my life and the perspective of it. As an avid musical theatre actress and HUGE fan of your work, you have inspired me to continue my work in the arts despite the hardships currently facing me. My name is Maddie and I'm 24 years old. I remember watching the Tony's when In The Heights won best musical...it was the same year I got involved in my high school's drama department and I got my first lead role of Vi in the musical Footloose (a show I hear was a favorite of yours as well). I remember being totally blown away and thinking that you were going to go on and make some great work in the future to come. Little did I know you would be satisfying my obsession with the Revolutionary War history in musical format.
When Hamilton first came out I was immediately struck...not just by how perfect the music and lyrics were...but how diverse and unique it was. I actually made so many attachments to characters like Lafayette (I'm French dual-citizen) and Angelica because she stands for equality and isn't afraid to voice what she believes to be true even when others shirk. In a world that is growing darker and darker, your work made it seem less dim to me. I believe in hope more than anything because of you.
I don't want to make a sob story out of this but I was diagnosed with Lymphoma back in 2015 just when Hamilton took flight. As time went on, my cancer didn't respond and only progressed...however I kept fighting. Every time I went into treatment I would listen to the music from Hamilton and even got one of my nurses into it. We'd rock out to "My Shot" because I wasn't going to let cancer take away my shot at life.
Since my diagnosis, I've been writing my own music and lyrics (currently working on an Agatha Christie musical). Your positive messages on your Facebook account are always a pleasure and a joy to wake up to. Everyday I sing away the troubles, sometimes alongside the mixtape. I even wrote a blog to try to reach out to others fighting battles such as my own, and I often drew inspiration through your music and words.
This past month though was a particularly hard one for me...I was told that none of my treatments have worked and my cancer is now incurable....and the first thought to go through my mind was "I am not throwing away my shot"...I told my doctor that I wasn't giving up and have already signed up for clinical trials....even if it kills me. But it's the spirit of Hamilton that has kept me going...
I guess all I'm trying to say is 1) thank you for reading this if you have and 2) your work and all that you do has had such a positive impact on my life, and I don't think I would have gotten this far without you. Even if you never read this letter, I simply had to write it anyway because you deserve so much recognition for turning me into the positive fighter that I am today. Thank you for all that you have done, all that you are doing, and all that is to come from your creative genius.
I have the honor to be your most avid fan-girl,
Maddie S.