[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 96 (Thursday, July 20, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1469]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO MICHEL CONLEY

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MARILYN N. MUSGRAVE

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 20, 2006

  Mrs. MUSGRAVE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the memory 
of Officer Michel Conley of the Estes Park Police Department.
  On July 31, 1976, Officer Conley and his wife Phyllis were driving up 
the Big Thompson Canyon. Throughout that afternoon and evening, 14 
inches of rain would fall in just over 4 hours time during a tremendous 
thunderstorm. The rain had brought a large boulder down the canyon, 
obstructing the road where it came to rest.
  Conley stopped and headed to a nearby lodge to alert State patrol of 
the obstruction. By this time the rain was heavy and the canyon was in 
danger. Conley, though off duty, acted with the bravery and sense of 
public service with which he served as a police officer and began to 
alert residents and visitors in the canyon, telling them to get to high 
ground.
  He notified somewhere between 75 and 175 people, saving them from the 
20-foot wall of water that came rushing down the canyon, sweeping away 
roads, cars, and buildings in its path. Conley's wife was able to get 
to higher ground, but he was not. As the wall of water came sweeping 
toward him he climbed a telephone pole in a desperate attempt to get 
above the water, but the pole was swept away and Officer Conley lost 
his life. Along with Officer Conley, 143 people lost their lives in the 
devastating flood.
  At the time, the Estes Park Police Department had no formal way of 
honoring officers who lost their lives in acts of such honor. However, 
on the 30th anniversary of the flood, and his heroic efforts to save 
the lives of those in danger, he will be honored with a medal of valor. 
Today I stand to honor his selfless act of heroism. ``Greater love hath 
no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends''--John 
15:13. Officer Conley did so for mere strangers and I pay tribute to 
his valiant act as we remember the legacy of one of the worst natural 
disasters in the history of Colorado.

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