[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 132 (Tuesday, October 18, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2107]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E2107]]
                     CONGRATULATING MIRANDA ELKINS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MICHAEL C. BURGESS

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 18, 2005

  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Ms. Miranda 
Elkins of Gainesville, Texas on receiving the Carnegie Medal for 
extraordinary heroism.
  The Carnegie Medals are selected and administered by a twenty-one 
member commission to recognize individuals who perform acts of heroism 
in civilian life in the United States and Canada. The Commission's 
definition of a hero is a civilian who voluntarily risks his or her 
life to an extraordinary degree while saving or attempting to save the 
life of another person. Since the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission's 
inception in 1904 by Andrew Carnegie, the Commission has recognized 
8,943 heroes in the United States and Canada.
  On August 20, 2004, Miranda Elkins courageously assisted in saving 
Hedilberto Martinez, Jr. from drowning and helped attempt to save 
Robert Diaz on South Padre Island, Texas. Martinez was swimming in the 
Gulf of Mexico when he was carried away from shore by a strong current. 
Unable to return against the current to shore, he called for help. On 
the beach, Diaz and Elkins were among those alerted to his plight. Diaz 
entered the water and swam to Martinez, then grasped him. Elkins also 
swam out to him. After Martinez grasped Elkins and submerged her, 
Elkins surfaced and talked to him, to calm him. On her direction, he 
then held to her as she swam toward shore. While they reached shore 
safely, Diaz encountered difficulty in the water and tragically 
drowned. Elkins and three others swam out to him and unsuccessfully 
attempted to revive him. However, Martinez was heroically rescued 
without injuries.
  I extend my sincere congratulations to Ms. Miranda Elkins for 
receiving this commendable award. As Andrew Carnegie wrote in the 
opening lines of the Commission's 1904 founding Deed of Trust, ``We 
live in a heroic age'' and I am honored today to recognize Ms. Elkins' 
inspirational heroism.

                          ____________________