He Told His Ailing Father 'We Won' — Watch the Emotional Moment Rep.-elect Richard Ojeda Shared with Him — Video

Richard Ojeda had just achieved a historic political victory when he shared the news with his seriously ill father. Days later, everything changed.

The North Carolina congressman-elect had spent election night celebrating a remarkable result, one that ended decades of Republican control in his district. But his most personal moment came away from the crowds.

His father, Richard Ojeda Sr., had been battling Parkinson's disease for years. On November 6, 2026, Ojeda announced his death, bringing new significance to a bedside video recorded just 3 days earlier.

A Historic Victory in North Carolina

On Tuesday, November 3, 2026, Ojeda defeated seven-term Republican incumbent Richard Hudson in the race for North Carolina's 9th Congressional District.

Hudson, who had represented the district since 2013, was also chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), the organization responsible for helping elect Republicans to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Ojeda's victory marked the district's first Democratic congressional win since 1963, ending a decades-long stretch of Republican representation. The election results gave Ojeda approximately 51.1% of the vote, compared with Hudson's 48.9%, a margin of roughly 6,000 votes.

For Ojeda, the result meant a return to elected office after a career that had taken him from the coalfields of West Virginia to military deployments overseas and eventually into state politics. His victory also carried significance for his family's history, which he discussed during his election night speech.

From a Coal Mining Family to Congress

Ojeda grew up in West Virginia, where both sides of his family had connections to the coal mining industry. His paternal grandfather immigrated to the United States from Jalisco, Mexico, and found work in a coal mine in Logan, West Virginia.

As detailed in The News & Observer's coverage of Ojeda's victory, his grandfather learned English while working in the mines, married a local woman and became an American citizen at 70.

His maternal grandfather came from Romania, served in World War II and later worked in a coal mine in Logan. He died in a mine collapse. These family experiences formed part of the background Ojeda shared while celebrating his election to Congress.

His own career began in the military, where he spent more than two decades serving the country before entering politics. According to his official campaign biography, Ojeda served 24 years in the U.S. Army, eventually attaining the rank of major.

His military career included deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as service in South Korea, Honduras, Jordan and Haiti. He also spent 15 years stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, where his daughter was born and his family lived.

In January 2010, Ojeda deployed to Haiti with the 20th Engineer Brigade following the devastating earthquake. His unit helped clear rubble, restore water systems and construct emergency shelters.

After retiring from the Army, Ojeda returned to West Virginia to live closer to his aging parents. He began teaching Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) at a local high school before entering politics.

Ojeda subsequently won a seat in the West Virginia State Senate, where his work included medical cannabis legislation and support for teachers during a major strike. He later returned to North Carolina with his family, bringing his parents and in-laws with him.

Although his campaign biography states that he had not originally planned to return to politics, he eventually launched the congressional campaign that resulted in his November 3 victory.

The election also made Ojeda North Carolina's first Hispanic member of Congress, another milestone connected to his family's immigrant background.

His Father's Years-Long Battle with Parkinson's Disease

While Ojeda pursued his military and political career, his father, Richard Ojeda Sr., was living with Parkinson's disease. The illness had affected the older Ojeda for years before his son's congressional victory.

Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurological disorder that affects movement and can cause tremors, stiffness, slowed movements and difficulties with balance. Its symptoms and progression vary between individuals, and the condition can become increasingly disabling over time.

Research has also examined possible environmental factors associated with the disease. In May 2023, CNN reported on a study involving veterans who had served at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.

Researchers found that Marines stationed at Camp Lejeune had a 70% higher risk of developing Parkinson's disease than veterans stationed at a military post elsewhere in the country. The study examined possible links between Parkinson's disease and exposure to trichloroethylene (TCE), a chemical contaminant found in the environment.

However, no information in Ojeda's announcement established what caused his father's Parkinson's disease or connected his illness to military-related chemical exposure. By the time of the November 2026 election, the older Ojeda had been dealing with the disease for years. Despite his condition, he was able to share one more important moment with his son.

The Election Night Video That Became a Final Memory

On Friday, November 6, Ojeda shared a video on his X account documenting the moment he told his father about his election victory.

The recording was made on November 3, the night Ojeda defeated Hudson. In the footage, Ojeda approaches his father's bedside and delivers the news. "We won," he tells him. His father responds with a broad smile as a woman can be heard celebrating in the background.

Ojeda then tells him, "Your son made it to Congress." He kisses his father on the forehead and adds, "Love you, Pop. We did it." The brief exchange captured the older man's reaction to his son's election victory, which came after years of illness.

But when Ojeda shared the recording publicly 3 days later, he also revealed that his father had died. In the accompanying message, the congressman-elect explained that his father had been battling Parkinson's disease for years.

He recalled being able to deliver the election result personally, writing that he had told him, "Pop, we won." Ojeda announced that his father had died that morning, November 6. The announcement came just 3 days after the election and before Ojeda could take his oath of office.

Reflecting on the timing, Ojeda expressed his personal belief that his father had survived long enough to witness his congressional victory. He also acknowledged that his father would not be physically present when he was sworn into Congress.

Ojeda ended his tribute with a promise to dedicate his upcoming term to his father's memory. "Rest easy, Daddy. I'll take it from here. These next two years are for you." The recording documented one of the last milestones father and son shared before Richard Ojeda Sr.'s death.

Another Father Lived to Witness His Son's Milestone

Ojeda's experience recalls another family's story involving a seriously ill father who was able to witness an important achievement in his child's life. In Montana, John Raines, 49, had been battling terminal brain cancer when he learned that he might not survive to attend his son Blake's high school graduation.

Raines had already lived approximately a year and a half beyond the prognosis doctors had given him, but his condition left his family uncertain whether he would survive until the scheduled ceremony.

Blake's mother, Pam Rudolf, worked with Billings West High School to arrange an early graduation ceremony. The school organized a special event in its auditorium so Raines could watch his son receive his diploma.

The ceremony included an audience and a live band, allowing father and son to experience the graduation together. Raines later described the occasion as "the best day of my life." His story and Ojeda's involved different circumstances, but both fathers were able to witness a major achievement in their sons' lives while dealing with serious illnesses.

A New Chapter Without His Father

Ojeda's election victory has placed him on the path to representing North Carolina's 9th Congressional District in Washington. His military background and years of public service formed major parts of his campaign, including his focus on veterans, military families and working Americans.

His Instagram account also forms part of his public presence beyond his official campaign website. Following his November 3 victory, Ojeda is preparing to enter Congress as a newly elected representative, but his father will not be present for the swearing-in ceremony.

Richard Ojeda Sr. died on November 6, after living long enough to learn that his son had won the election. The video preserves their final election night exchange: a son delivering the news, a father smiling from his bed and a kiss on the forehead.

For Ojeda, the next 2 years in Congress now carry the dedication he made publicly after his father's death. His father witnessed the victory. Three days later, Ojeda promised to serve his first congressional term in his memory.