[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 119 (Wednesday, July 12, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H3219]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1215
                         HONORING GICELA ALEMAN

  (Mr. ALLRED asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. ALLRED. Mr. Speaker, on May 6, our north Texas community was left 
scarred by the shooting at the Allen Premium Outlets. Nine people were 
killed, and seven others were injured.
  Today, I rise to talk about the bravery and service of Gicela Aleman, 
a nurse and unsung hero, who that day was shopping at the outlet mall 
with her daughter.
  After the gunman opened fire, he severely wounded Preeti Patel, a 
woman who was visiting family in north Texas and, like so many others, 
was just trying to do some shopping.
  Amidst the chaos and violence, Gicela sprang into action. Using her 
training as a nurse, she grabbed Preeti and tried to slow her bleeding. 
After seeing that ambulances were struggling to get through security, 
she called the hospital and drove Preeti in her car with her daughter 
to the hospital in time to save her life.
  Preeti is alive today because of Gicela, an amazing story that 
deserves a hero's praise. She and her daughter should not have had to 
be heroes that day, but they were and are. We thank them for 
representing the best of north Texas.

                          ____________________