Fired National Park Ranger’s Heartfelt Valentine’s Day Letter Goes Viral: “Things Are Not OK”
In a poignant outcry that has resonated across social media, Brian Gibbs, an education park ranger at Iowa’s Effigy Mounds National Monument, was abruptly terminated from his “dream job” on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2025. The devoted father and husband, whose role involved inspiring schoolchildren and safeguarding Native American effigy mounds, shared a raw, emotional Facebook post detailing his devastation—now shared over 220,000 times and liked by tens of thousands. Signed “Ranger Brian,” the letter captures the human toll of sweeping federal workforce cuts under the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has targeted thousands of civil servants, including around 1,000 from the National Park Service (NPS).
The Sudden Firing: A “Cold, Snowy Friday” Shock
Gibbs, who had returned to NPS after a seven-year hiatus and excelled in his role (“exceeds expectations” on evaluations), described the dismissal as a gut punch. He started his shift as usual, educating visitors on the park’s ancient Indigenous heritage, only to have his government email access revoked mid-afternoon. “My position was ripped out from under my feet after my shift was over at 3:45pm on a cold snowy Friday,” he wrote. This marked the second time in five years he’d lost a cherished career position, forcing him to confront uprooting his family—his wife is expecting their second child.
The firings stem from DOGE’s aggressive efficiency drive, led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, aiming to slash federal spending by $2 trillion. NPS, already underfunded, saw hundreds of seasonal and permanent staff axed to redirect resources toward “core missions” like maintenance over education and outreach. Critics, including the Sierra Club, decry it as an assault on public lands access, with Gibbs’ story amplifying fears of diminished visitor experiences amid a 2024 surge in park attendance (over 325 million visits).
Excerpts from the Viral Letter: A Tribute to Service and a Cry for Stability
Gibbs’ post weaves pride in his service with exhaustion from chronic job insecurity, painting a vivid portrait of a ranger’s life:
“I am the defender of your public lands and waters. I am the first face you see when you arrive to explore. I am the highlight of your child’s school day. I am the storyteller of the landscapes you love. I am the dedicated civil servant who shows up every day with a smile, even when my heart is heavy. I am the work evaluation that reads ‘exceeds expectations.’ I am the United States flag raiser and folder. I am tired of waking up every morning at 2am wondering how I am going to provide for my family if I lose my job. I am tired of wiping away my wife’s tears and reassuring her that things will be ok for us and our growing little family that she’s carrying.”
He closes with a stark admission:
“Things are not ok. I am not ok. (This is the second time in under five years a dream job I worked has been eliminated. Now I may need to uproot my FAMILY again.) Stay present, don’t avert your gaze. Until our paths cross down the trail, Fare thee well. Ranger Brian 💚”
The post, accompanied by family photos, has sparked an outpouring of support—donations via GoFundMe have topped $50,000 for relocation and job search aid—while fueling Reddit threads on r/politics and r/climbing, where users lament the loss of “irreplaceable” rangers who “make parks magical.”
Broader Impact: Echoes from Other Rangers and the NPS Crisis
Gibbs isn’t alone; similar emotional letters from fired colleagues have gone viral, highlighting a “brain drain” in public service. One anonymous ranger at Yellowstone shared a parallel post about canceled youth programs, while a Grand Canyon staffer decried the irony of cuts during a biodiversity funding boom. NPS unions estimate 15-20% staff reductions by mid-2025, potentially leading to park closures or reduced hours, as seen in preliminary 2025 budget previews.
Fact-checkers have verified Gibbs’ account as authentic, tracing it to his verified NPS-linked Facebook profile and corroborated by former colleagues. The story has drawn bipartisan concern: House Democrats demand hearings on DOGE’s “inhumane” tactics, while some Republicans defend it as necessary austerity.
Public Reaction and Support for Gibbs
- Social Media Surge: Over 4,400 upvotes on Reddit alone, with comments like “I cannot fathom how anyone could be ok with this” and tributes to rangers as “unsung heroes.”
- Solidarity Efforts: NPS alumni networks are circulating job boards for ex-rangers; environmental groups like the National Parks Conservation Association launched a #SaveOurRangers petition with 100,000 signatures.
- Personal Toll: Gibbs has since updated followers on job hunting, expressing gratitude but underscoring the mental health strain: “Public service shouldn’t mean public suffering.”
This incident underscores tensions in the 2025 federal landscape, where efficiency clashes with equity. As Gibbs fights to rebuild, his words serve as a rallying cry: Public lands—and those who steward them—deserve better. For the full letter or donation links, search “Ranger Brian Gibbs” on Facebook. If you’d like updates on NPS cuts or similar stories, let me know!