[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 55 (Friday, March 24, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E680]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                       DeLAURO HONORS LOCAL HERO

                                 ______


                          HON. ROSA L. DeLAURO

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 23, 1995
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, today, I would like to ask my colleagues to 
join me in mourning the passing of a true hero. Mr. John Willsher of 
Woodbridge, CT, died of a heart attack last month after helping to 
rescue two young boys, whom he had never met, from the freezing waters 
of Lily Pond in New Haven.
  Having stopped to buy gas, he heard the boys screaming from across 
the street and ran to help. As part of a brave and selfless rescue 
effort, he helped remove the boys from the frigid waters of the pond. 
After making the rescue, John Willsher suffered a fatal heart attack.
  Mr. Willsher died the same way he lived for 57 years--helping others. 
He was known among relatives and neighbors as helpful and generous. His 
countless acts of selflessness cannot be listed, but will long be 
remembered by those who knew him.
  Mr. Willsher is remembered by his friends and family for his good 
sense of humor, his interest in politics, and his love of cooking. He 
and his wife, Elizabeth (Buddy), to whom he had been married for 30 
years, and his three children, Michael, Peter, and Jennifer, were very 
close.
  Mr. Willsher moved to the United States from Colchester, England in 
1963. He worked as a plumber for 18 years at the AlliedSignal Corp. in 
Stratford and was 2 years away from retirement.
  John Willsher reminds us of the best in people. His generosity and 
selflessness renew our faith in ourselves.
  I am confident that my colleagues in the House join me as I send my 
deepest condolences to the Willsher family and my gratitude for the 
selflessness and bravery demonstrated by John throughout his life.


                          ____________________