[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 127 (Tuesday, August 4, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S4431]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO JONATHAN BLANCHARD

 Mr. WICKER. Madam President, on the evening of May 6, 2026, 
Jonathan Blanchard heard tornado sirens blare through his hometown 
Bogue Chitto, MS. A volunteer firefighter accustomed to responding to 
emergencies, Blanchard gathered his family and found shelter. Once the 
storm passed, he set out to assess the damage. A walk that would 
typically take minutes turned into a 2-hour trek through uprooted trees 
and storm debris. When he arrived at his home, Blanchard found it had 
been virtually destroyed. Instead of being paralyzed by his loss, he 
reached out and helped others.
  A short distance away, Blanchard heard cries for help. He sprang into 
action, followed the sound, and found a woman trapped beneath an 
overturned camper. He put his 30 years of emergency response experience 
to use. Blanchard and another neighbor carried the woman nearly a 
quarter mile to an ambulance, delivering her to safety. He continued 
his rescue efforts throughout the night.
  Like Mississippians across the State affected by the tornadoes, Mr. 
Blanchard could not sit by as his community suffered. That spirit 
characterizes his whole life. When he is not on duty at the Hog Chain 
Volunteer Fire Department, Mr. Blanchard works as a welder at Wastequip 
in Brookhaven. He and his wife Rebecca Blanchard have three children.
  Jonathan Blanchard's selfless service to his town is a true testament 
to his character and is an example to the State. I join my fellow 
Mississippians in saluting Jonathan Blanchard for his swift action and 
selflessness in the face of disaster.

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