[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 67 (Friday, May 22, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E941]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                REMARKS ON JOHN C. ``THUNDER'' THORNTON

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. ZACH WAMP

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 21, 1998

  Mr. WAMP. Mr. Speaker, I rise to bring to the House's attention a 
wonderful and heart-warming story about a distinguished citizen of the 
3rd District of Tennessee. It is a story of service above and beyond 
the call of duty, courage and of a man who knows how to say thanks with 
grace and style. That man is John C. ``Thunder'' Thornton, who has 
built a highly successful business career in Chattanooga and who owns 
the Crescent H. Guest Ranch in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Describing what 
happened, Thornton says, ``If you don't believe in Guardian Angels, 
I've got a story for you.''
  It begins on Friday, March 27, a day that started out as a happy 
family outing to San Antonio, Texas to see the final four basketball 
tournament but that nearly ended in sudden, tragic death. As 
``Thunder'' Thornton tells it, he and his daughter, Dori, 17, and son 
Johnny, 14, were met at the San Antonio Airport by Cesar Hernandez, who 
was to drive them in his cab for a tour of the city. They'd planned to 
visit Trinity University there and to see all the sights in that 
beautiful old city.
  Without warning, Thornton began to feel a numbness in his arm and 
shortness of breath followed by pain and a feverish feeling ``Thunder'' 
Thornton realized that he might be having a heart attack. He asked 
Hernandez to get him to the hospital as quickly as possible. Then he 
passed out. He awoke to find himself in the car at the curbside outside 
the hospital. Hernandez got him into a wheel chair and into the 
hospital where he received first-class treatment from Cardiologist Dr. 
Rusty Felton. Even as the treatment began he could hear Hernandez 
comforting his son and daughter.
  Some cab drivers--and many people--would have thought they had done 
enough by doing only what their job called for in this situation. 
They'd just call an ambulance and head off to make more fares. But 
Hernandez went far above what duty required him to do. He rushed 
Thunder Thornton to the hospital. Then he stayed with Thornton's 
children while they faced fear and danger, far from home and with 
neither of their parents in a position to help them. He displayed one 
of the best traits we like to think we share as Americans, a natural 
instinct to help others who were in harm's way--even at some personal 
cost. Unfortunately, we do not see as much of this behavior as we would 
like in America today. But it was definitely there when it counted that 
Friday in San Antonio. And Thornton believes that Mr. Hernandez saved 
his life.
  But, Mr. Speaker, this is also a story of gratitude and having the 
good grace to express it. Many folks would have simply sent Mr. 
Hernandez a note of thanks. But for Thunder Thornton, that would never 
have been enough. He arranged a two-part gift. The first was a one-week 
vacation to Thornton's Crescent H Guest Ranch in Jackson Hole. And the 
second was a brand new White Cadillac DeVille, which Thornton presented 
to Hernandez in a video-taped family ``thank you card'' that was played 
at a luncheon in San Antonio. Thunder Thornton's action shows that it 
is important to celebrate those ``Guardian Angels'' our society needs 
so badly. It also goes a long way toward telling us the kind of man 
John Thornton is.
  Mr. Speaker, the 3rd District of Tennessee is fortunate to count him 
among its citizens.

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