[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 8 (Tuesday, January 16, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E37]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                 IN MEMORY OF UNDERSHERIFF LARRY KOREN

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. TERESA LEGER FERNANDEZ

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 16, 2024

  Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize 
Undersheriff Larry Koren for his service and sacrifice to the people of 
San Miguel and Mora Counties during the East Mesa Fire on July 16, 
2022.
  Bernalillo County Undersheriff Larry Koren, Lieutenant Fred Beers. 
and Deputy Sheriff Michael Levison were killed when the agency's 
helicopter, Metro 2, crashed near Las Vegas, New Mexico. Rescue 
Specialist Lieutenant Matthew King of the Bernalillo County Fire 
Department was also killed in the crash.
  Bernalillo County Undersheriff Koren was born and raised in 
Albuquerque, New Mexico where he lived his life, attended school, and 
met the love of his life Maria who he married in 1999.
  Larry will be remembered as someone who loved to learn but also 
someone who loved to share his knowledge. He was a distinguished leader 
as a law enforcement officer with the Bernalillo County Sheriff's 
Office as well as a qualified aircraft mechanic and helicopter rescue 
pilot. His love of aviation started in childhood and he pursued his 
passion and became a renowned pilot and pioneer for the air support 
unit for Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office. His contributions to 
aviation have provided an invaluable resource to the State of New 
Mexico, saving countless lives, fighting fires, and conducting 
thousands of law enforcement air support missions.
  Larry was also qualified to teach as a licensed elementary school 
teacher and college instructor. So deep was the breadth of his giving 
he learned to save people and to teach them.
  Larry was a devoted husband and father. The family enjoyed flights in 
their personal Cessna, camping, hiking, kayaking, and spending time 
together. Maria was thrilled to walk alongside Larry on their daily 
walks. Love surrounded them, joy embraced them, and these peaceful 
memories will rest within her and their sons. Larry is survived by his 
wife Maria Koren and their sons Justice and Carson Koren.
  I didn't know Larry personally. But his life has had a profound 
impact on mine and the communities I serve.
  I represent the Third Congressional District, which includes San 
Miguel and Mora Counties. I grew up on the east side of the Sangre De 
Cristos. Las Vegas and the surrounding area are where I spent my youth. 
Over the last year, I have seen my communities devastated by fire and 
the landscapes washed away by flood.
  These once beautiful lands are where we lost Larry and his 
colleagues. Each of these men selflessly answered the call to protect 
the land, the people, and the homes so far from their own. I am 
devastated by the loss of these men but inspired by their service and 
their sacrifice.
  In this sea of grief where we now find ourselves, let's remember they 
will not be forgotten up north where they breathed their last breath.
  The places they protected will hold their love and whisper it in our 
ears as breezes flow through the plains and mountain valleys. May 
Larry's memory be a blessing. May his service be an inspiration of love 
in action for us all to remember.
  Sacrifice and heroism are cornerstones of America's history, and 
Undersheriff Koren's will never be forgotten.

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