[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 146 (Wednesday, November 13, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Page S10882]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                DINO XAVIER SUAREZ RAMIREZ: IN MEMORIAM

 Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I take this opportunity to share 
with my colleagues the memory of one of my constituents, Dino Xavier 
Suarez Ramirez, who lost his life on September 11, 2001. Mr. Ramirez 
was a 41-year-old civil engineer returning to Los Angeles from vacation 
when the flight he was on, American Airlines Flight 11, was hijacked by 
terrorists. As we all know, that plane crashed into the World Trade 
Center, killing everyone on board.
  Xavier Ramirez was born in Guayaquil, Ecuador and completed his 
primary and secondary education there, receiving certification in 
mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology. Mr. Ramirez achieved his 
goal of becoming a civil engineer by working during the day and 
completing his university studies at night. He majored in civil 
engineering at the University Laica Vicenete Rocafuerte de Guayaquil. 
``He was very intelligent, and his hobby was reading. He knew very much 
about the history of nations because of his reading,'' recalls his 
mother, Blanca Vilma Ramirez.
  Upon coming to this country, Mr. Ramirez worked to have his degree 
recognized here. In his native country of Ecuador he worked in the 
construction of roads. His mother further recalls that, ``He worked 
very hard and was not afraid of any kind of job, wanting only to go 
beyond himself in what he did.'' Xavier Ramirez is survived by his 
mother, Blanca and his brother, Klinger David Suarez Ramirez.
  Mr. President, none of us is untouched by the terror of September 
11th, and many Californians were part of each tragic moment of that 
tragic day. Some were trapped in the World Trade Center towers. Some 
were at work in the Pentagon. And the fates of some were sealed as they 
boarded planes bound for San Francisco or Los Angeles.
  I offer today this tribute to one of the 54 Californians who perished 
on that awful morning. I want to assure the family of Dino Ramirez, and 
the families of all the victims, that their fathers and mothers, sons 
and daughters, aunts, uncles, brothers and sisters will not be 
forgotten.

                          ____________________