[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 5 (Tuesday, January 9, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E14-E15]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  RECOGNIZING THE LIFE OF EMMA COUTURE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. CHARLIE CRIST

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, January 9, 2018

  Mr. CRIST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Emma 
Couture, a remarkable and talented young woman who tragically left us 
too soon.
  At 19 years old, Emma accomplished a great deal more than many of us 
could hope to in a lifetime. And she did it with an open and giving 
heart that inspired everyone she met. Emma exemplified the best and the 
brightest of our Pinellas community: a brilliant student, gifted 
actress, and a thoughtful, selfless individual.
  From a young age, Ms. Couture showed a keen interest in the theater. 
In high school, she used her role as District Broadway Cares 
Representative to draw attention to AIDS research, organizing a 
donation drive and raffle at her local thespian competition. Emma used 
her unique talent on the stage as a platform to advocate for LGBTQ 
rights and other important issues, orchestrating a theatrical 
production that raised thousands of dollars for charity and drew 
performers from all over the country.
  Emma's dedication to good works was matched only by her impressive 
intelligence. She was a victor on the television game show

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Kid Jeopardy, serving as a source of civic pride for Pinellas County 
and an inspiration to little girls across the community. As a fellow 
Green Devil, no one better represented St. Petersburg High School and 
its motto of loyalty and service to God, country, and home.
  After graduation, Emma realized her dream of working on the stage in 
New York City as a student at Marymount Manhattan College. She spent 
her final moments doing the very thing she loved most: directing her 
first college theater production, helping a fellow performer rehearse 
their lines.
  Emma's passing due to unexpected heart failure was a sad day for 
Pinellas County. To her dedicated, loving parents Wilma and Peter, and 
her older sister Hannah, our hearts go out. I thank them for bringing 
such an incredible young woman into this world. She has left an 
indelible mark that will never be erased; her spirit will live on in 
the hearts of everyone whose life she touched.

                          ____________________