[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 83 (Friday, May 30, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E885]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     IN REMEMBERANCE OF ALEX AND MARITZA ALVAREZ AND OLGA A. VALDEZ

                                  _____
                                 

                          HON. PETE P. GALLEGO

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 30, 2014

  Mr. GALLEGO. Mr. Speaker, this week marks the second anniversary of 
the passing of three constituents of the 23rd District of Texas who 
died in a tragic accident on May 26, 2012--Alex Alvarez, his wife, 
Maritza Alvarez and her mother, Olga A. Valdez. I rise today to speak 
in their honor.
  I honor their lives. Like all of us, they sought a better life. They 
worked hard to achieve success. Like many of us, they were parents who 
longed to see their son and grandson graduate from high school, go off 
to college, get married, and generally succeed at life.
  Unfortunately, they got none of the above. Their deaths were caused 
by a person who was texting and driving. Poor judgment caused a 
terrible tragedy. The lone survivor of this horrific car accident was 
Alex and Maritza's young son, Alex Jr.
  Alex and Maritza were hard workers. Alex was a native son of the 
border, having been born in Eagle Pass, Texas. He worked in the IT 
department of the Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center.
  Maritza was also a native daughter of the border region. She was born 
in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, the sister city to Eagle Pass. She 
worked in Eagle Pass as a dental assistant.
  Olga A. Valdez was born in San Luis Potosii, Mexico. She was a 
devoted grandmother, mother, and sister.
  Three lives tragically cut short. One young boy left to face life 
alone without his parents. One moment of poor judgment by an 
inattentive third party--nothing, absolutely nothing in that text 
could've been worth the cost of three lives not yet fully lived.
  Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the lives of Alex and Maritza 
Alvarez, to commend the courage of a young boy, Alex Alvarez Jr., who 
still I'm sure struggles to make sense of the loss he has suffered, and 
urge the residents of the 23rd District of Texas and our entire Nation 
not to text and drive.

                          ____________________