An open letter from Butch T. Cougar to the members of the WSU Community

To the WSU family,

It is with great pleasure that I can say I am officially done with college. Yes, I said it. Done. I have taken the finals, pulled the all-nighters, continually stressed over the smallest detail of a paper – just the works. While college may have been one of the most challenging, it has also been one of the most rewarding times of my life due to my time as Butch T. Cougar.

This past year I was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, which is part of the autism spectrum of disorders, along with a host of other things that made this past year incredibly challenging for me. There were some days before an event where I would feel as though I could not do it anymore, but once I suited up I knew I was going to make someone smile and that is what kept me going.

At every event I would have someone say “Butch, you do such a good job and we appreciate everything you do for the university.” It was moments like these that I am able to cherish, and now it is my time to say thank you. The WSU community is something that I am unable to describe and is filled with the most incredible people.

Through my time as Butch, I was able to have some of the most incredible memories and it is all because of you – the glorious Cougar Nation! I was able to witness the Cougar football team win its first Bowl Game in more than 10 years. I performed with Brad Paisley at the Country Music Awards. I made incredible connections with people who had no idea what my face even looked at. It was all because of you guys.

I would like to say thank you for all of those individuals who supported me while I was Butch. While it may not have been directly, the times and experiences I was able to have in suit allowed for me to continue to push through some of the most trying times I have had in my life.

Living a life of anonymity is incredibly difficult, but you, the people of WSU, made it feel easy because while supporting your school, you also helped one person stuck in a hot and sweaty costume find the drive to continue to keep on keeping on. For that, I am eternally grateful.

Thank you for everything, WSU. In the words of the late Elson S. Floyd, “There is something special about WSU and even more special about being a Coug. It’s about family taking care of family.” Thank you for allowing me to be part of your family.

Sincerely,

Chris Lanphear (former Butch T. Cougar) – Go Cougs!