[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 111 (Thursday, July 24, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S9899]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                       AMAZING GRACE ON THE SEAS

  Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, earlier this month, newlyweds Walt and 
Donyelle Wilkins from Greenville, SC, were on their way to their 
honeymoon, when the small plane they were on crashed into the ocean. 
Because of their quick action and disregard for personal safety, they 
saved the lives of two young children, also passengers on the plane. I 
rise to salute this couple, and to thank them for their true heroism.
  Walt and Donyelle were married in Charleston two Saturdays ago. The 
day after the wedding the couple took off from Ft. Lauderdale, heading 
to the Bahamas, when the plane crashed into the open sea. After 
assisting others out of the sinking plane and distributing life 
jackets, Walt jumped into the rough sea without a life jacket and swam 
to others, assisting them in inflating their jackets, while Donyelle 
held an infant above the waves.
  After the parents of the infant were located in the water the child 
was passed to them so that Walt and Donyelle could assist two small 
children whose mother had just drowned. Several of the surviving 
passengers decided to attempt to swim to the nearest land some six 
miles away. But Walt and Donyelle stayed with the young children, 
keeping their heads above the waters and calming them by singing 
``Amazing Grace.'' Approximately 2 hours later, they were rescued by a 
Coast Guard helicopter.
  The children are alive today because of the Wilkins' amazing grace 
under threats no one should ever have to face. I speak for all my 
colleagues in wishing the young couple a long and happy life together.

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