[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 8 (Tuesday, January 16, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E40]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         IN MEMORY OF RESCUE SPECIALIST LIEUTENANT MATTHEW KING

                                 ______
                                 

                      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 Rescue 
Specialist Lieutenant Matthew King of the Bernalillo County Fire 
Department for his service and sacrifice to the people of San Miguel 
and Mora Counties during the East Mesa Fire on July 16, 2022.
  Rescue Specialist Lt. Matthew King, Deputy Sheriff Michael Levison, 
Undersheriff Larry Koren, and Lieutenant Fred Beers of the Bernalillo 
County Sheriff's Office were killed when their helicopter, Metro 2, 
crashed near Las Vegas, New Mexico.
  I didn't know Matt 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 Matt 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 
Matt'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 
Rescue Specialist Lt. Matthew King's will never be forgotten.

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