[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 35 (Thursday, March 24, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 24, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                  HONORING BOOMER ESIASON'S SON GUNNAR

                                 ______


                           HON. PETER T. KING

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 24, 1994

  Mr. KING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute a young man from the 
Village of Plainview in my home district who has indeed performed a 
mitzvah. Thirteen-year-old Eric Salmon was so deeply moved by the 
plight of New York Jets quarterback Boomer Esiason's son, Gunnar, who 
is afflicted with cystic fibrosis, that he donated half of his Bar 
Mitzvah gift money to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. His selfless act 
is an inspiration to people everywhere, proving that each of us can 
have it in our hearts to reach out and do our part to help make a 
difference.
  Eric not only helped to fight this dread disease through his generous 
donation, but through his action, helped to focus public attention on 
the fight to cure cystic fibrosis. He continues in that fight, and will 
lead a major walk-a-thon on Long Island to raise money for the Cystic 
Fibrosis Foundation this May.
  Following are articles from the New York Post, the New York Daily 
News, and Newsday about Eric Salmon's good deed.

               [From the New York Newsday, Nov. 4, 1993]

                     Boomer's Hero: Teen With Heart

                            (By Debby Wong)

       After Eric Solnin became a bar mitzvah last month, he 
     wasn't quite sure what to do with all the money he received 
     as gifts.
       But then the 13-year-old Plainview boy saw Jets quarterback 
     Boomer Esiason on ``Good Morning America'' discussing cystic 
     fibrosis, the severe and often fatal lung disease. Esiason's 
     3-year-old son, Gunnar, has cystic fibrosis, and after 
     watching the show, Eric know where some of the money would 
     go.
       Yesterday, Eric left Mattlin Middle School a bit early to 
     head over to the Jets' training complex at Hofstra 
     University, where Eric gave Esiason a $4,176 check made out 
     to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, about half his bar mitzvah 
     money.
       Eric said yesterday that he thought he had enough material 
     things and was thankful he had escaped a fire at his summer 
     camp without injury.
       ``I already had everything so I wanted to put it to a good 
     cause,'' he said. ``I saw a lot of coverage on Boomer and his 
     son. I knew cystic fibrosis had to be a bad thing.''
       A grinning Eric got to watch an hour of the Jets' practice 
     yesterday, and then handed the check to Esiason, who gave the 
     boy a Jets jersey with his number 7 on it, along with an 
     autographed football.
       ``He was a little hero,'' said Esiason. ``As a parent of a 
     CF child, I can't say enough to thank Eric.''
       Eric's father, Gil, said the donation was in character for 
     his son. ``Eric was always putting other people in front of 
     himself. He was always willing to share with others not as 
     fortunate as himself.''
       Eric, whose chief sport is tennis, said he hopes to be a 
     lawyer or news announcer when he gets older. As for the 
     money, he hopes the donation will help with research and in 
     finding a cure.
       And the other half of his bar mitzvah gifts? ``I'm going to 
     give to everyone else's bar mitzvah that I'm going to.''
                                  ____


         [From the New York Daily News, Thursday, Nov. 4, 1993]

                          Jet Fan on the Money

                            By Paul Needell

       In September, five months after his 2-year-old son, Gunnar, 
     was diagnosed with the disease, Boomer Esiason created the 
     NFL Quarterback Challenge for Cystic Fibrosis.
       Since then, about $160,000 worth of donations have come in 
     to help battle the affliction. After practice yesterday at 
     Hofstra, Esiason was presented with one of the more touching 
     contributions.
       Thirteen-year-old Eric Solnin of Plainview, who was bar 
     mitzvahed on Oct. 9, donated half of the monetary gifts he 
     was bestowed for the occasion. His father's company chipped 
     in with another $1,000, and Eric handed Esiason a check for 
     $5,176.
       Boomer, in turn, gave Solnin an autographed ``ESIASON'' 
     Jets jersey, an autographed football and a tour of the locker 
     room. With his arm around the teenager, Esiason introduced 
     him to teammates as ``my friend Eric.''
       ``Well I thought about what I was going to do with the 
     money, and I couldn't think of anything,'' Solnin said. ``I 
     didn't really need it, so I wanted to give it to people who 
     needed it more than me.''
       Said Esiason: ``I've received four or five gestures similar 
     to this. It bodes well for the next generation. It's an 
     amazing thing that's taking place. It's the nice part of this 
     story. It's very heartwarming, to say the least.''
                                  ____


            [From the New York Post, Thursday, Nov. 4, 1993]

                        Young's Long Wait Ending

(By Mark Cannizzaro)

                           *   *   *   *   *


       In a gesture of enormous generosity, 13-year-old Eric 
     Solnin was so moved when he heard about Boomer Esiason's son, 
     Gunnar, being afflicted with Cystic Fibrosis, he donated 
     $5,176 to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
       Solnin, of Plainview, gave $4,176, which was half of his 
     Oct. 9 Bar Mitzvah gift money, and Seagram's, where his 
     father works, added $1,000 to it.
       ``I wanted to put it to a good cause and I didn't really 
     need it, so I wanted to give it to people who needed it more 
     than me,'' Solnin said.
       The youngster yesterday visited Esiason at Jets camp, where 
     he was given an auto-graphed Esiason jersey, a ball and a 
     tour around the complex after practice.
       Several weeks into the season, Esiason formed the NFL 
     Quarterback Challenge for Cystic Fibrosis. Mitzvah, by the 
     way, means good deed.

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