[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 88 (Thursday, May 20, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H2616-H2617]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING RICH O'BRIEN

  (Ms. MACE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. MACE. Madam Speaker, today, I rise to speak on behalf of a great 
American and constituent of mine, Rich O'Brien.
  Rich's story is one that inspires hope. He is the operations manager 
for PGA HOPE Charleston. PGA HOPE stands for Helping Our Patriots 
Everywhere, and it is the PGA's flagship program to do military 
outreach.
  As one of the leaders of the golf therapy movement, he is a testament 
to hope. Madam Speaker, 12\1/2\ years ago, he was on his deathbed, 
paralyzed from the neck down after a catastrophic injury where he broke 
his back, his neck, and had four skull fracture injuries and brain 
damage in every lobe. Rich died three times at the scene of the 
accident before an EMT was able to revive him and eventually place him 
into an induced coma.
  He was lucky, though, and eventually regained feeling in his fingers 
and toes and learned to walk and talk again. He was able to use golf 
therapy to rehabilitate his injuries.
  Following his own recovery, he started helping others to use golf 
therapy and became an advocate for others with disabilities. As 
Charleston welcomes the PGA Championship this weekend, Rich deserves 
applause and praise for his charity and willingness to help other 
veterans like him through golf therapy.

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