What started out as a passion for playing lacrosse recently led Salamanca native Marcus Abrams to meet the President of the United States as a graduate of the Air Force Academy.

During graduation ceremonies May 30 for the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., Abrams had the opportunity to shake hands with President Donald Trump.

“Meeting President Trump was definitely a unique experience,” he said. “I was flooded with different emotions throughout that long morning of graduation. I’m glad I had the opportunity to shake a President’s hand in my lifetime.”

But that once-in-a-lifetime experience was a long way from where Abrams, 23, began life on the Seneca Nation’s Allegany Territory where he grew up with his parents and younger sister.

Moving away at 13, Abrams’ high school years were spent in Wake Forest, N.C., with a year in Ontario, Canada, where he devoted time to playing lacrosse, but Salamanca was still where it all started.

“Some special memories I have from the area are playing lacrosse for the Arrows at the box and playing football for the Warriors at Crowley, as well as hanging out with friends,” he said.

Although he moved to North Carolina, then Canada and back to North Carolina, Abrams said he still visits Salamanca on occasion, such as during the holidays.

“Most of my family lives there so I will visit them, and I still have some friends there that I’ll also catch up with,” he said. “It feels like a comfortable place to me and I still think of Salamanca as my home, even though I’ve been away for some years.”

At 18, Abrams began his time at the Air Force Academy in Colorado, but the process began years before.

“I played lacrosse throughout high school and was recruited by the Academy to go there for lacrosse,” he recalled. “I was still pretty young when I went through the process as a sophomore in high school, and they talked to me about how going to the Academy would be difficult, but it could set me up for success. They told me about the opportunity to not only travel the country, but to travel the world, and this really appealed to me.”

Abrams said the Academy challenged him both physically and mentally, working hard in his classes and spending a lot of time studying in his room and at the campus library.

“We had to take two physical fitness tests every semester along with mandatory PE classes, such as combatives, water survival and boxing,” he said. “Both school and the physical fitness requirements always kept me busy, but I enjoyed staying focused and trying to improve myself.”

Abrams said he believes the tough experiences at the Academy helped him reach his full potential as a person and have set him on a career path that he’s happy with.

His heritage as a Seneca was something Abrams believes made him unique as an Academy graduate. He said he is proud of his heritage and hometown and have always represented it throughout his journey.

“It is a small and tight-knit community and it has allowed me to keep a chip on my shoulder when I am competing against others who may have been set up better for success with what they were born into,” he said.

Since graduation, Abrams has been given 60 days of leave, which means vacation for two months.

“I am traveling throughout Asia and Europe to see new things and to gain a broader perspective on different cultures,” he said.

After those 60 days, which ends next week, Abrams is heading down to Biloxi, Miss., where he’ll be stationed at Keesler Air Force Base to go to tech school for his job.

“I am a cyberspace operations officer and will be serving in the Air Force for at least five years,” he added.

Outside of lacrosse and life in the Air Force, Abrams said he likes to listen to music, fish, travel and take pictures. He also enjoys trying new foods and relaxing with a movie or TV show on while reading funny tweets.

For high schoolers back in his hometown, Abrams said joining the military is a great way to kick start your life.

“I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do with my life, but I knew going into the military would force me to do something,” he said. “It’s also a good way to push yourself outside of your comfort zone and mature… Thanks to everyone that has supported me!”

(Contact managing editor Kellen Quigley at kquigleysp@gmail.com)