【2013 Archives】

013 Archivespresidential debate Sunday was revealing to say the least. We learnt, if we weren't 100% sure before, what's inside Trump's soul. We discovered that Clinton isn't phased by having an angry ghost lurking behind her.

We also learnt a lot about one Mr Kenneth Bone, who for manywas the one ray of sunshine in a tempestuous and frankly depressing 90 minute encounter.

SEE ALSO: Ken Bone was the light in the dark second presidential debate tunnel

Ken Bone is concerned about energy for starters. His question - "what steps will your energy policy take to meet our energy needs while at the same time remaining environmentally friendly and minimizing job layoffs?" - made that abundantly clear.

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He's also an undecided voter. He has penchant for red sweaters. And he doesn't let life pass him by without snapping a picture for posterity with his disposable camera.

Since he leapt into the public eye and captured hearts and minds on Twitter, though, we've discovered a lot more about Mr Bone. Here's a closer look at the life of a true hero.

The dedicated American

Ken, who lives in Shiloh, Illinois, according to his Facebook page, is a plant technician at the Praire State Generating Company. He studied at the ITT Technical Institute, Indiana, which sadly closed last month and filed for bankruptcy. Earlier in life he attended Granite City High School in Illinois.

He's married to Heather Bone, who also went to Granite City High School. Were the pair high school sweethearts? We've sent them a message to find out and in the meantime we can only hope.

The pair have a son named Logan. Ken once went out trick or treating with him, taking along a lightsaber.

The social media guru

Ken told reporters Monday that he only had seven Twitter followers before the debate "and two of them were my grandmother because she forgot her password and had to do it over." Within 12 hours he had 10,000 followers. "I don't know why people care what I have to say," he added, "but I'm glad.. they're becoming more engaged in the political process."

And he's using his platform for good, answering his fans and critics alike.

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And even before he was internet famous, he was using the platform for good, praising Ariana Grande as a role model.

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@ArianaGrande You're a great positive role model for young girls and a big time talent,never let some image maker or muck raker take that!

— Ken Bone (@kenbone18) October 7, 2013

The rock star

Perhaps the coolest thing about Ken is that he was once in a band, according to another Granite City boy Joshua Burkett.

Burkett told Mashablethat Ken played drums in the band, which focused on "Christian pop covers from the 90s and 00s. DC Talk and Newsboys kinda stuff."

"He was a pretty good drummer back in the day."

The band "rocked," Ken said on Twitter.

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Burkett, who describes himself on Facebook as "DJ/MC/Harbinger of the Party" at Instant Request DJ Entertainment recalled his time in the band with Ken in the hours following the debate.

"My ultimate claim to fame in life will be that I was once in a band with the legend Ken Bone and that we spent two summers cruising around our hometown picking up chicks -- me failing and him succeeding," he said.

"Was he wearing that red sweater?" one friend asked. "No, but he could rock a Crocodile Dundee hat like no other," Burkett replied.

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Incidentally, Burkett told Mashablethat Ken has "more personality in his pinkie than most do as a whole."

The sartorial trailblazer

With his comfy red sweater paired with white shirt and tie, Ken really stood out at the town hall debate. But his look wasn't his first choice.

"I had a really nice olive suit that I love a great deal and my mother would have been very proud to see me wearing on television," he told reporters, "but apparently I've gained about 30 pounds and when I went to get in my car the morning of the debate I split the seat of my pants all the way open, so the red sweater is Plan B."

When Ken Bone's mother dressed him for tonight, do you think she even imagined her son would become a living meme?

— Mac Naismith (@MacNaismith) October 10, 2016

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If you're wondering what he looks like in a suit, the answer is: pretty slick. Here he is, in that oliver suit that split, in 2013.

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The one last hope for the democratic process?

While the presidential candidates slung mud at each other in the gutter, Ken was looking to the stars, and trying to get a clear answer to an important question. And while he told CNN he's "more undecided than ever" after Sunday's shit show, he hopes that his fame will encourage people to get out and vote.

"I'm really glad that so much attention has come my way, if for no other reason than I can get the message out that your voice can be heard, and please get out and vote in November," he said.

"If you feel like your vote doesn't matter, it does. Make your voice heard."

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Topics Donald Trump Hillary Clinton