[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 8 (Tuesday, February 1, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E119]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING THE LIFE OF MARK GOMEZ

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. LOIS CAPPS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 1, 2005

  Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the life of a very 
special young man, Mark Gomez, who recently passed away at age 18. Mark 
and his parents, Mona and Rudy Gomez, impacted my life very deeply 
along with many of my staff. Mark was a quietly determined young man 
who never let his devastating diagnosis of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy 
interfere with his desire to attend school or excel in his classes. 
Neither did his parents, Mona and Rudy.
  When he could not attend public school on his own, they adjusted 
their work schedules (as U.S. Postal Service employees) so that one of 
them, usually Rudy, could serve as his attendant. Just as remarkably, 
Mark loved trains. He rode them and drew beautifully detailed pictures 
of them. One of his pictures hangs in the Santa Barbara Amtrak Station. 
Just last year, he fulfilled his longtime dream of circumnavigating the 
United States by train.
  I first met the Gomez family when Mark enrolled in kindergarten at 
Peabody Charter School in Santa Barbara. I was the school Nurse. From 
the first, making it through the day was a challenge. As his muscles 
grew weaker and his dependence became more acute, his determination 
seemed to grow. His parents hosted a fundraiser for the Duchenne Parent 
Project and family and friends came from far and wide.
  When I first ran for public office, Mark, Rudy and Mona were super 
volunteers. We are among those who mourn his passing and are touched by 
his legacy. So are students, family and staff at Peabody Charter, La 
Colina Jr. High and Dos Pueblos High School where Mark had just begun 
his senior year.
  Mark's steady determination and positive outlook on life, despite his 
challenges, reminds all of us to be strong in the face of adversity. 
His spirit and passion live on through his artwork, and his enthusiasm 
for life will always be remembered. I pledge to Mark's parents to 
dedicate my efforts to combat Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy to the memory 
of their son.

                          ____________________