[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 86 (Monday, June 1, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E803]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING CAPTAIN SCOTT BIERWILER

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. RICHARD B. NUGENT

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, June 1, 2015

  Mr. NUGENT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and remember the life 
of Captain Scott Bierwiler, a fellow colleague of the Hernando County 
Sheriff's Department, a dedicated husband and father of three, and my 
good friend.
  Captain Bierwiler met his untimely death in an automobile accident 
that devastated the community. The sadness and grief felt upon hearing 
the news of his passing still stings fresh in my mind, even though risk 
is an inherent part of the law enforcement description. As sheriff, it 
was a day that I always feared and hoped I would never have to face. 
Yet I found myself mourning my friend.
  It is tough to recall the days that followed and how full they were 
of tears, sorrow, and disbelief. However, the memories of Captain 
Bierwiler quickly came to light and the transition from sadness to 
acceptance began. As if it were from a page in his own book, the focus 
of his early death quickly became more about the celebration of his 
life and the impact he had on so many.
  I first met Scott through his parents, who are family friends, and I 
immediately recognized the potential he radiated even as a young man. 
After graduating from the police academy, Scott joined the Hernando 
Sheriff's Department where he served proudly for twenty-three years. He 
was a hard worker and was dedicated to his job, his fellow officers, 
and the community where he lived and worked.
  His work ethic was unlike any other. No matter how big or small the 
task, nor noteworthy or publicly known the result. And his 
determinations didn't go unnoticed. Scott was awarded the Hernando 
County Sheriff's Office Medal of Valor, the Hernando County Ribbon of 
Commendation, the New Jersey State Medal of Valor, the Meritorious 
Service Award from Bergen County Prosecutors Office, and the Combat 
Cross. But above all accolades, there was not one person who didn't 
have the upmost respect for Captain Bierwiler. Respect was mutual and 
he made sure that it was always known. There was no question that 
Captain Bierwiler would have made an honorable and just sheriff for 
Hernando County.
  He was a quintessential family man--loving, dependable, and as 
devoted as they come. There was never a question that his children were 
his sole purpose in life and his greatest achievement. He would tell 
stories of the moments of laughter they would share, the times spent 
together boating on the Gulf of Mexico, and the hopes he had for their 
futures. He gave all that he had to his family and I can only hope that 
as his children grow, they flourish in the love that surrounds them 
from their father.
  On Thursday, May 28, 2015, the Hernando County Sheriff's Department 
unveiled a memorial for Captain Scott M. Bierwiler. It will never be 
easy to look back on the day that Scott was taken from his family, his 
friends, and the Hernando community. But my hope for the memorial sign 
dedicated in his honor is to allow us to remember the times we shared 
with him, the happy and blessed life he lived, and the legacy he left 
behind. I am humbled and will forever be thankful to have been a friend 
of Captain Scott Bierwiler and I will continue to remember his memory 
fondly.

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