Liberty student honored during Trump’s State of the Union says she found ‘true healing in Christ’

Sage Blair, the 19-year-old freshman at Liberty University who was recognized by President Donald Trump in his State of the Union address on Feb. 24, said the opportunity to have her story told by the president on national television was an experience she will never forget.

Millions listened live as Trump used Sage’s story as an example of why our country needs to protect children and ensure parental rights.

“In 2021, Sage was 14 when school officials in Virginia sought to socially transition her to a new gender — treating her as a boy and hiding it from her parents,” Trump said. “Before long, a confused Sage ran away from home. After she was found in a horrific situation in Maryland, a left-wing judge refused to return Sage to her parents, because they did not immediately state that their daughter was their son.”

“Sage was thrown into an all-boys state home and suffered terribly for a long time,” he continued. “But today, all of that is behind them because Sage is a proud and wonderful young woman with a full-ride scholarship to Liberty University. … But surely, we can all agree no state can rip children from their parents’ arms and transition them to a new gender against the parents’ will. We must ban it, and we must ban it immediately.”

Sage and her mother, Michele, received an invitation to the Capitol just a few days before the address and were seated in the House Chamber among military heroes and valiant citizens recognized during the speech. Sage said she and her mother had a chance to meet many of them, including Erika Kirk, the widow of Charlie Kirk; Anna Zarutska, whose daughter, Iryna Zarutska, was murdered on a subway in Charlotte, N.C.; 100-year-old veteran Royce Williams, who received the Medal of Honor at the address; and many more. They also met First Lady Melania Trump and were treated to a tour of the White House.

“The most memorable part of everything was probably just the actual State of the Union speech in the gallery and listening to everyone’s stories and all the things President Trump was saying about the country,” said Sage, who is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Fire Administration: Fire Science through Liberty University Online Programs.

Sage said several fellow Liberty students have recognized her from the presidential shoutout, and she’s received many encouraging messages from students and supporters across the nation. Her mother did several media interviews after the speech, including with FOX News and The Heritage Foundation. Many media outlets pointed out the “clock It” hand gesture Sage made after Trump recognized her, a popular sign among Gen Z that means you agree with a clever observation, an approval “with a hint of sass,” Sage said.

Michele called the experience a blessing: “For me, it was surreal. It was very sudden, and everything happened so fast. It was a blessing. It was such an honor, and I truly believe that God opens doors for His purposes, so I’m waiting to see what comes from it.”

Michele said her daughter has an amazing testimony, and it is exciting to see how God is using her story, although she could never have imagined it would be recognized by the President of the United States on national television. Her story was the catalyst for Sage’s Law, legislation in Virginia designed to increase parental rights and notify parents if their children are seeking gender transition. The decision is still being argued in the state senate.

Sage explained that at age 14, when she was just starting high school, she experienced a period of confusion about her gender and claims school officials encouraged her to identify as a male, using male pronouns. Her mother, Michele, claimed Appomattox County (Virginia) Public Schools did not notify her of this, and the situation allegedly led to bullying, trauma, and ultimately, to Sage running away from home and being lured into a trafficking ring.

Sage said once she was home, she came to know Christ and now finds her identity in Him as the woman God created her to be.

“I feel like the moment I really came to Christ was 17,” she said. “I was really miserable after all the trauma and trafficking I endured while I was gone. It was just mental torture for me. I really think God used that to make me so desperate for His love and desperate for something more in life, because I was so empty before I came to Him. My life felt empty and meaningless. There were so many questions in my head that were unanswered. … This was used as something to bring me closer to God. God reaches people in all different types of ways. He knows what we need in order to come to Him.”

“Healing is only found through Jesus Christ,” Sage added. “Nothing else can bring you true healing in this life.”

Michele, who is Sage’s grandmother (she adopted Sage at age 2 after her son, Sage’s father, passed away), said that through the painful plight of searching for her daughter and advocating for her parental rights in the schools, she is now seeing the miraculous work that God has been doing through her family.

“Now I see God in the details,” Michele said. “Because going through it, you just don’t get it. But when it’s done and over, you look back (with thankfulness).”

Sage said she was excited to enroll at Liberty last fall, where she is a dedicated employee at the Reber-Thomas Dining Center. She hopes to use her degree to become a firefighter, an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), or work in a job related to emergency management.

“There are a lot of different jobs I can get with the degree I’m going for, but it’s all in the same realm of fire and emergency things,” said Sage. “I had a dream from God. And I woke up, and my heart was full of love, and I knew this was what I needed to do.”