[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 149 (Friday, September 7, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1221]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               HERB MEYER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JARED HUFFMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 7, 2018

  Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in memory of an inspirational 
community leader, Herb Meyer, who recently passed away at the age of 
87. Mr. Meyer was one of the sailing world's premier disabled racers, 
and he was dedicated to reducing barriers facing people with 
disabilities.
  Born in 1931, Mr. Meyer began his sailing career at 12 years old in 
New Jersey. After serving in the Korean War as a jet fighter pilot, he 
moved to California in 1963. Once in the Bay Area, Mr. Meyer started 
racing out of Belvedere Cove and eventually moved to Marin county in 
1980.
  In July of 1993, while sailing on San Francisco Bay, Mr. Meyer broke 
his neck and became a paraplegic. After sailing for over 30 years, Herb 
thought his days on the water were over. Thanks to the Bay Area 
Association of Disabled Sailors, Mr. Meyer was re-trained on sailing 
with a disability, and back out on the bay just one year after his 
accident. He continued competitive sailing and participated in 
Paralympic and other international races including in Canada, Italy, 
Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Australia.
  Over the years, Mr. Meyer joined many community organizations serving 
the disabled. In addition to serving as Commodore for the Bay Area 
Association of Disabled Sailors in 2002, he was on the boards of the 
Marin Center for Independent Living and the Treasure Island Sailing 
Center, and he was a founding member of the county's In-Home Support 
Services chapter. These efforts also translated to national action, as 
Mr. Meyer chaired the Special Needs Committee for the United States 
Sailing Association.
  Herb Meyer served his country during a time of war and his community 
thereafter. He faced his disability and worked tirelessly to not only 
continue his passion for sailing but to lower the barriers for other to 
do the same. Mr. Speaker, it is therefore fitting that we honor Herb 
today for his decades of commitment to helping people with disabilities 
overcome barriers and follow their passions. His presence will be 
sorely missed, and his leadership not be soon forgotten.

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