[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 137 (Thursday, October 17, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1890]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       HONORING THE HEROISM OF MIKE McGEHEE OF RED BUD, ILLINOIS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JERRY F. COSTELLO

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 16, 2002

  Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join 
me in recognizing the heroism of Southern Illinois University at 
Edwardsville Freshman Mike McGehee of Red Bud, Illinois for saving the 
lives of his fellow students during a tragic fire in their Cougar 
Village apartment on the campus of Southern Illinois University at 
Edwardsville.
  Early Saturday morning, October 12, 2002, Campus police received a 
call that a fire was underway at the Cougar Village Student apartment 
complex. The fire started at about 4:40 a.m. in the kitchen of 
Apartment 1B on the lower floor in the complex. Mike McGehee and his 
roommates were upstairs in Apartment 2C. Mike, normally a sound sleeper 
according to his parents Len and Ruth McGehee, woke up about 4:30 a.m. 
and smelled smoke. He woke up five other people in the apartment and 
guided them towards the front door. When they discovered that the front 
door was hot, Mike's roommates went to the balcony to jump. Upon 
reaching the ground, Mike didn't follow. Campus Police Officer, Tony 
Santiago who was on the scene helped some students who were trying to 
jump off balconies to escape from the second story apartments.
  With the fire fully engaged and Edwardsville Fire units arriving on 
scene, Mike became disoriented with the smoke and broke out a window, 
he fell to the floor and called out for help. By then Edwardsville 
Firefighters were evacuating other apartment units. Mike's friends 
alerted fire fighters that Mike was still inside. Firefighters, moving 
through the building, felt Mike's grasp on his leg. According to Mike's 
parents, Mike had already mentally said his goodbyes, as he thought he 
was going to die.
  Mike was taken from the building, to a local hospital and then 
transferred to the burn unit at St. John's Mercy Medical hospital in 
St. Louis where he is currently being treated for burns and smoke 
inhalation. Mike is expected to be released from the hospital in the 
coming days.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the heroism 
of Mike McGehee and his efforts to help save the lives of his fellow 
students. It was through his efforts that so many lives were saved that 
day.

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