[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 103 (Friday, July 12, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1275]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  CAPT. JOE TUCKER--DISTINGUISHED VETERAN, DEDICATED FATHER, HOMETOWN 
                                  HERO

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MAC COLLINS

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 12, 1996

  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute Capt. Joe 
Tucker who is the Chief Naval Instructor at the Henry County High 
School in Georgia's Third District. This retired U.S. Coast Guard 
officer recently demonstrated a level of courage, compassion, and 
heroism for which we all can be proud. Captain Tucker is the kind of 
role model that our children need and deserve.
  Today, I am submitting for inclusion in the Congressional Record an 
account of events that occurred, appropriately enough, on Memorial Day 
at the High Falls State Park. This account, from the front page of the 
Henry Herald on June 19, 1996, is in the words of 11-year-old Andrew 
Tucker who can better relate the full meaning of the events of that day 
than any newspaper writer or I could possibly hope. This story pays 
tribute to a fine uniformed officer, teacher, role model, and father--
Captain Joe Tucker.

                           My Daddy's a Hero

                      (The Henry Herald, 6/19/96)

       I'm Andrew Tucker. I'm reporting about my dad. It all 
     started when my mom and dad and me were coming back from 
     Indian Springs. We decided to go to High Falls Park to go 
     swimming. We had never been there before. Lots of people were 
     swimming in the river and walking on the rocks. Millions of 
     signs around High Falls said not to go on the rocks.
       We were walking near the waterfall when we heard a lady say 
     ``Can anybody swim?'' My dad looked kind of strange because 
     we all thought someone was drowning, but the lady didn't 
     sound very excited. Then we saw a boy in the water, trying to 
     come up for air and waving his arms real slowly, but then 
     went under the water and didn't come back up. Then the lady 
     said, ``there is another one in the water.''
       My dad just took off his hat and glasses and his shoes, and 
     he went in with all of his clothes on. It looked like the 
     water was six feet deep, but my dad later said that it was 
     about 12 feet. My dad dove in, but it was too deep. So he had 
     to go down feet first and feel around the bottom.
       He found something soft so he dove under, and it was a 
     little girl! The current was pushing her down between rocks. 
     She had been under there for five minutes. After six minutes 
     you are a goner if you are under water. She was under for 
     about five minutes when my dad brought her up.
       He did mouth-to-mouth (resuscitation), or CPR. She was a 
     little black girl. But then a man named Sam Jordan that we 
     had talked to before came to help with the boy. They brought 
     the girl up the hill where I was.
       By that time my mom was yelling, ``Has anyone got a 
     cellular phone?'' The people were just sitting there. I don't 
     know why. She ran up the hill to the pool to get a lifeguard 
     to call 911. The lifeguard came running down like a rocket 
     with no shoes on. They carried the girl up the river bank.
       When I saw the little girl, I thought she was dead. She 
     looked dead. She wasn't moving and her eyes were closed. I 
     felt sad when I saw her.
       They laid her down on the ground. There were lots of people 
     sitting on blankets, watching, and lots of people crowding 
     around.
       Then I saw her arms move, and then she opened her eyes. It 
     seemed like a long time before she could sit up. Then I knew 
     she was going to be fine. She talked, but I don't think she 
     knew where she was. I was really glad that she was alive.
       My dad stuck with that little girl. I think he was worried 
     that she might not make it. I'll bet the girl may not go 
     swimming for a long time!
       By that time the boy started to get up and walk. They took 
     both children and put them in an ambulance and drove away. We 
     talked to Sam Jordan about the girl. They thanked my dad and 
     said he was there at the right time.
       I looked back at the river where before there were lots of 
     people swimming and playing. Now there was just water and 
     rocks.
       Right there, where the two kids were drowning * * * was a 
     sign that said, ``DO NOT GO ON THE ROCKS! GO IN THE WATER AT 
     YOUR OWN RISK!'' I don't know why people don't obey the 
     signs; then they would be okay.
       We went to a place where Dad could put on dry clothes. I 
     found a flat rock. I decided to write ``HIGH FALLS, 1996'' on 
     it and give it to Dad so he could remember what he did on 
     that day.
       When we got home, I told everybody at school that my dad 
     saved a little girl's life.

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