[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 103 (Tuesday, July 28, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H6501-H6502]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                STAFF TRIBUTES TO DETECTIVE JOHN GIBSON

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. DeLAY. Mr. Speaker, I probably will not take the entire 5 
minutes, for those who are waiting to speak. I just wanted to add to 
last night, when I read into the Record some of my staff's memories of 
Detective John Gibson. Today I had a few more that my staff offers, and 
I wanted to read them into the Record as well.
  From Jim Morrell,

       Working in the front office at the Whip Office for a year 
     and a half, I had the opportunity to come to know John; the 
     opportunity to know what an outstanding human being he truly 
     was. When the nights got late with Congressman DeLay up in 
     leadership meetings or on the House Floor, there would often 
     be just a few of us left in the office. I can remember 
     staying up there until 11:00 or 12:00 at night with John 
     watching TV or talking about the latest events in the sports 
     world. With John being a die-hard Red Sox fan and me being a 
     die-hard Cubs fan, we often commiserated on the respective 
     futility of our favorite baseball teams.
       I walked into the Whip's office last Friday, minutes before 
     the tragic events unfolded. Although I came in the front 
     door, I turned my head towards the back hallway before 
     continuing on. There sat John at the back desk dutifully 
     guarding his post.
       For the rest of my life, that image of John will stay with 
     me. The image of a guardian, a defender, a protector. I can 
     imagine John, even as shots were being fired, thinking, 
     ``There is no way you are going to harm the people in this 
     office.''

[[Page H6502]]

       Well, no one in our office was harmed, thanks to John. The 
     hardest part of this tragedy is that I will never have the 
     opportunity to thank John personally. In every sense of the 
     word, he was a part of our office, a part of our family, and 
     he will be sorely missed. God was very gracious to allow me 
     to know John Gibson. I will always remember his life and will 
     always remember his sacrifice.

  From Shannon Graves, she says,

       John was my father, my uncle, my brother, my protective 
     shield. For the year and a half that I sat in a desk right in 
     front of him, I saw John from sunup to sundown. Gibson, as I 
     would always call him, was always there with a cheery ``good 
     morning'' and a smile throughout the day.

       He took on the role of a father to a very young female in 
     the office. He was there to give you congratulations, give 
     you that stern lecture that was needed, and if someone was 
     ever bothering you he was there to make it go away.
       As we sat together, it became the competition of dueling 
     TVs, always helping him with the Internet, e-mail, and 
     loading the latest computer games for him, Doug, and Bob to 
     play.
       I remember the day he was on detail for John Travolta. It 
     was about 6:30 at night. He came running into the office 
     asking me to grab any film that I might have. He would give 
     no details, except to grab the film and follow him. I ran 
     with him, and the next thing I know, I am handing the film 
     over to John Travolta's photographer. It seems that she ran 
     out of film and Travolta was going into a meeting with the 
     Speaker. I spent the next hour up on the balcony and then was 
     ushered over to have my picture taken.
       John was always watching out for everyone. He wanted to 
     make sure that everyone benefited. He escorted Stephanie and 
     myself to see Mother Theresa when she was leaving the 
     Capitol. He was always right there for you. Now my Hill 
     father is gone.

  From Dani DeLay, my own daughter, who is now Dani Farrell,

       John always treated me like he was another father. Whenever 
     I was in Washington, he always was looking out for me and 
     watching me like a hawk.
       I liked to tease him and tell him I feel sorry for his own 
     daughter. I was sure that, at age 17, he still had not let 
     her go out on a date.
       I feel so safe knowing that now he will always be watching 
     over me wherever I am.
       The last conversation John and I had, he told me how much 
     he and my family meant to him and how much he loved us. John, 
     I love you, too.

  Mr. Speaker, I wanted to just thank all the Members for all the 
wonderful words they have said on this floor on behalf of J.J. Chestnut 
and John Gibson.
  Mr. WAMP. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. DeLAY. I yield to the gentleman from Tennessee.
  Mr. WAMP. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman from Texas (Mr. 
DeLay), the majority whip, yielding to me.
  Mr. Speaker, I just want to make two points. One is this House has 
come together in an extraordinary way in the last 24 hours. Last 
night's meeting, a joint caucus and conference meeting between the 
Democrats and the Republicans, was this institution at its finest.
  I think in the memory of these two outstanding men, we should all 
commit ourselves to love each other more, to be more civil, to hold 
this institution up in the way that they deserve. In memory of them, 
that we would, as a people, find some good in this and come together in 
an extraordinary and historic way.
  Mr. Speaker, I also wanted to come today to this floor and recognize 
a great ``Tennessee Volunteer,'' Senator Bill Frist, whose second 
nature was to help; to put himself in an awkward position as a 
physician, though to always put that patient first, regardless of who 
that patients is.
  A great Tennessean of whom we are all very proud, Senator Frist came 
where he was needed most and gave of himself in an extraordinary way.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay) and the 
Speaker and the minority leader for this House coming together for 
these two remarkable men.

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