[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 19]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 26904]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



             TRIBUTE TO SETH RITCHIE, A ``NATIONAL CHAMP''

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. SCOTT McINNIS

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 26, 1999

  Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this time to tell you 
of a truly remarkable young man. He has seen hardships in his life that 
no one should ever have to endure. In 1994, he was in a terrible 
automobile accident that left him paralyzed and took the life of his 
dear friend Delano Garcia. Despite all this, Seth Ritchey has risen 
above his grave personal adversity to win his division at the U.S. 
Wheelchair Open Tennis Championships.
  Although Seth picked up wheelchair tennis just a year and a half ago, 
already he has excelled beyond anyone's expectations. Three months 
after his first tennis clinic in Grand Junction, Colorado, he was 
playing in his first tournament. Although he met some adversity in that 
tournament, he came right back, showing his true spirit in the next 
tournament held in Florida. There he was matched up against the best 
competition on the Eastern Seaboard, but still managed to win his 
division. Last summer at the Doris Denker Wheelchair Tournament he 
again ran into some tough competition. This did not slow him down. He 
traveled to San Diego, California to compete against players from all 
over the world in the U.S. Wheelchair Open Tennis Championships earlier 
this month. There he played in two matches a day that each lasted for 
up to three hours against players that had twenty years of experience 
on him. He won his division and became national champion.
  Rarely do I hear a story like Seth Ritchie's. He is a truly 
remarkable young man who gives me inspiration to achieve more. I hope 
that more people can hear his story and gain from it what I have. So, 
it is with this, Mr. Speaker, that I say congratulations to Seth 
Ritchie for all of his accomplishments. He is a true hero and an 
inspiration to us all.

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