[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 64 (Thursday, May 1, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E656]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     RECOGNIZING THREE ILLINOISANS TRAGICALLY KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 1, 2014

  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my sorrow at the 
deaths of three Illinoisans, killed in an attack in Kabul, Afghanistan 
last week. The three--John Gabel, Gary Gabel, and Dr. Jerry Umanos--
were shot at CURE International's Hospital, which provides critical 
medical care to the people of Afghanistan.
  John Gabel, a visiting lecturer at Kabul University's information 
technology department, was shot along with his father, Gary Gabel. Both 
were from Palatine, Illinois and members of the Orchard Evangelical 
Church in Arlington Heights. Pastor Colin Smith of the church described 
John as a ``computer genius with a perfect mind'' who was living out 
his faith through his service in Afghanistan. Amy Dillman, who worked 
with John while he was at the National Center for Supercomputing 
Applications, said, ``I think John just had a calling and he could see 
where the work he was good at--the programming and the information 
technology--could be useful and of service to other areas and other 
parts of the world that really needed that infrastructure.''
  Like his son, Gary Gabel was an active member of his church, working 
with youth groups and leadership teams. His wife, Teresa, was wounded 
in the attack but is recovering.
  Dr. Jerry Umanos, a pediatrician who had practiced at the Lawndale 
Christian Health Center in Chicago, was serving at CURE's Hospital. Dr. 
Umanos was dedicated to providing essential medical care to Afghan 
children. According to his colleague Dr. Art Jones, ``. . . you can't 
count the number of children that Jerry's impacted, the lives he's 
saved on his own, and with the doctors he trained. That's who he was. 
He was driven by the kids.''
  As we mourn the loss of John Gabel, Gary Gabel and Jerry Umanos, we 
also reflect on their dedication to working to improve the lives of 
others. I want to send my condolences to their families and friends.

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