Secret Service Agent Raises Two Daughters, Their Life Lessons Go Viral

Newsweek

5 days ago

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Growing up, most parents teach their children basic safety rules—like looking both ways before crossing the street or never talking to strangers. But the daughters of a former Secret Service agent have shared more advanced safety advice that has gone viral on TikTok, racking up 1.2 million views.
The video, shared by Ashley Hicks (@ashley.hicks43), flips between safety tips from her and her sister featuring things they never and always do to protect themselves.
Newsweek spoke to Hicks, 36, via email. She explained: "My sister and I made this video not to stoke fear, but to bring awareness to common-sense safety tips we grew up with that made us feel more in control of our personal safety."
(L-R) Hicks, and her sister, who doesn't wish to be named, can be seen speaking to the camera.
(L-R) Hicks, and her sister, who doesn't wish to be named, can be seen speaking to the camera.
TikTok/@ashley.hicks43
The clip comes at a time when public confidence in the agency itself has sharply declined. A September 2024 Gallup poll shows Americans' rating of the Secret Service's job performance has plunged 23 points to a new low, with just 32 percent now calling its work "excellent" or "good," amid high-profile security lapses, including two assassination attempts on Donald Trump in nine weeks.
The 36-year-old recalls her father sharing these lessons when she became more independent, such as driving alone or going off to college, to help ensure her safety while living alone as a single woman.
"I'm not sure I'd consider myself street smart, but it has made me more aware. Growing up with a dad whose career was based around security, it was hard not to consider worst-case scenarios and be prepared for the unexpected as I entered adulthood," she said.
Safety Tips They'd Never Do
Sit with their back to the door in a restaurant or public space.
Invite a stranger to their home to pick up an item sold on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist. Instead, they meet at a fire or police station.
Skip a security system without deterrents. If they can't afford one, they buy security signs and window stickers to make it look like they have one.
Safety Tips They'd Always Do
Create the illusion of not living alone. When living alone as a woman, they'd always places a pair of men's shoes outside the door so passersby think a man lives there.
Stay aware when approaching their car. Put your phone down, get in quickly, and lock the doors—especially at night.
Sleep with the bedroom door closed and locked.
Early Safety Lessons
Hicks, who lives in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, also remembers her father teaching them basic safety strategies from a young age.
She told Newsweek: "I do remember him educating us on simple safety tips about stranger danger, code names for pick-up, etc. He likely drilled these into us from early on, and I've just forgotten some.
"He always emphasized taking 15 seconds when you enter a room to locate the exits and the importance of being aware of your surroundings. And to always follow your gut—it's a powerful tool."
While his career gave them invaluable lessons, it also came with sacrifices.
She added: "I look back on his time in the Secret Service with mixed feelings—his work was demanding, stressful, and it took him away from us frequently. He missed holidays, birthdays, and graduations.
"But we got to experience things most people never will, and I learned a lot about hard work and true sacrifice from him. I don't think I truly appreciated what his job entailed until I was older. Now I look back on it with such pride in him and all that he accomplished."
TikTok Reacts
As of now, the video has over 165,000 likes and more than 1160 comments, with many users sharing their own safety tips.
One user wrote:
"When you live alone, always say 'Bye' as though there's someone inside. When arriving home, always say 'I'm home' as though someone is inside."
Another advised: "Never wear two earphones. Always keep one ear free so you can hear what's going on around you."
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