[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 12 (Monday, January 26, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E111]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                     RECOGNIZING MS. SAILOR GUTZLER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. ED WHITFIELD

                              of kentucky

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, January 26, 2015

  Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of myself, and 
Representative John Shimkus, to recognize Ms. Sailor Gutzler. On 
January 2, 2015, a small Piper PA-34 plane carrying the family of Marty 
and Kimberly Gutzler crashed in the remote forest of Kuttawa, Kentucky, 
located in the First Congressional District of Kentucky. The family was 
headed back home to Nashville, Illinois, located in the Fifteenth 
Congressional District of Illinois, from a family vacation in Key West, 
Florida.
  Marty, Kimberly, their nine-year-old daughter Piper, and fourteen-
year-old niece Sierra Wilder were instantly killed in the crash. 
Miraculously, the Gutzler's youngest daughter, seven-year-old Sailor, 
emerged from the wreckage alive and as the lone survivor. With a broken 
wrist, no shoes, and wearing only a T-shirt and shorts, the second 
grader bravely searched the cold, dark forest for nearly a mile until 
she found the only inhabited house in a 1,400 acre area.
  Young Sailor arrived at the home of Larry Wilkins, ``with lips 
trembling, crying, trying to talk'' according to Wilkins. This brave 
young girl, grief stricken and mangled, managed to point authorities in 
the direction of the crash, but is left without her parents, and with 
the trauma of this tragic event.
  This tragedy made national news, and Sailor was deemed the ``Miracle 
Girl'' by People Magazine. Sailor's strength and courage is truly 
remarkable, and we want to recognize her brave actions on that night 
and in the days following. Young Sailor has even noted that she has to 
be strong for her mom and dad, because they would want her to be 
strong.
  Our thoughts and prayers are with Sailor and her surviving family. It 
is truly a miracle this young girl survived and we are certain God has 
a purpose for her.

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