[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 129 (Thursday, October 6, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H8708-H8709]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO JON PICINI, JR.

  (Mr. PORTER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a very heavy heart. This 
past Sunday, good friends of mine, the Picini family from Las Vegas, 
Nevada, lost their son, 19-year-old John Picini, Jr., in his sleep.
  My prayers and my thoughts go to the Picini family for the loss of a 
loved one which is hard to imagine, as a father myself. I know how 
difficult a time it is, and I will provide for the Record words of his 
Aunt Terry Murphy, also one of my best friends, regarding her heartfelt 
thoughts at the loss of John Picini, Jr.
  The words of Ms. Terry Murphy, referred to above, are as follows:

       John Joseph Picini Jr.
       Man. Boy. Brother. Son. Cousin. Friend. Dude. Musician. 
     Angel. Amazing. Loving. Giving. Kind. Adorable. Sweet. Sad. 
     Happy. Fun to be with. Inventive. Creative. Peaceful. 
     Beautiful. Sensitive.
       These are all the words to describe John Picini Jr. Two 
     days before his birth, John nearly didn't make it into this 
     world. Upon arrival, we all learned about the Duffy Factor, a 
     blood disorder which made his entry into the world a bit more 
     difficult than most. As we all watched John grow, we never 
     ceased to he amazed at who he was becoming. At who he did 
     become.
       When he made music, he was transported to a different plane 
     and he took along with him all who watched and listened. He 
     carried us away. Only a very evolved soul can so profoundly 
     move people with his own creations and John's were beyond 
     amazing.
       John was graced with an unusual sensitivity. Webster's 
     dictionary defines sensitivity as the capacity of being 
     easily hurt, and the awareness of the needs and emotions of 
     others. This sensitivity was the foundation of his creative 
     abilities. It was also the foundation of what made us all 
     love him to the core.
       When John suffered the accident that damaged his knees, he 
     turned his pain into comfort for others. His first act after 
     receiving compensation for his injuries was to give his 
     mother a gift of $2,000.00 to be used for a research program 
     which was designed to, and did help people. He then set up a 
     big Texas Hold-em game. Upon learning that a friend of his 
     mother had no money to pay her rent, he took the money from 
     the game, gave it to his mom and told her to pay the rent, 
     but not to tell the woman where the money came from. Giving 
     selflessly and without expectation of gratitude. That was 
     John. He took great joy in giving. And in his life he gave us 
     more than he ever knew.
       John took his own pain and turned it into good fortune for 
     others. This is truly a lesson to all of us in what living is 
     about. A statue of St. Francis of Assisi stood in John's 
     house. From St. Francis, John learned that it is in giving 
     that we receive, in comforting that we find comfort, in 
     giving faith that we find it, and in loving that we are 
     loved.

[[Page H8709]]

       So much did John enjoy giving that he went to a party at 
     the Oasis Center for Children at Christmas time and gave each 
     child a card, a hug, and twenty dollars. He did this again on 
     Valentines Day. These actions represent the very essence of 
     John Joseph Picini Jr.
       If we can define a man by the music he loves, we can define 
     John as a peacemaker and a poet. His heroes--John Lennon, 
     Jimi Hendrix, Harry Chapin, Bob Dylan. All peacemakers and 
     poets. All but Dylan, taken from this planet long before 
     their time.
       John will be watching and loving us from his new home with 
     the angels. He was, after all, an angel flying too close to 
     the ground as Willie Nelson would say.
       We who are left behind have been forever changed for 
     knowing John. And we will be forever changed for having lost 
     him. He is, without a doubt, surrounded with warmth and love 
     and light in the arms of God the father, his son Jesus Christ 
     and the Blessed Mother. They're holding him and keeping him 
     safe. He will live forever in our hearts and he'll have no 
     tears in heaven.

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