[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 16]
[Senate]
[Page 23452]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                    TRIBUTE TO CAPTAIN JOHN O'GRADY

 Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I rise today to pay 
tribute to Captain John O'Grady, who recently completed a charity 
bicycle ride from Dayton, Ohio to Albuquerque, New Mexico to raise 
awareness and money for epilepsy charities. I am particularly proud of 
John because I had the pleasure of coaching this amazing young man 
during the 1973-74 baseball season at Kingswood Regional High School.
  John's desire to make his ride is deeply personal. Just this year, 
after 23 years as a pilot with United Parcel Service and Airborne 
Express, John suffered a grand mal seizure while dining at an airport 
restaurant after a flight. A few weeks later, John was stricken again 
and diagnosed with epilepsy. This was a shocking blow for a man who 
flew planes and hot air balloons for so many years.
  With his flying and driving privileges permanently taken away from 
him, John was forced to ride his bicycle everywhere he went. In fact, 
it was on a bike that he suffered the seizure that led to his epilepsy 
diagnosis, but John did not give up. Instead, he decided to try to use 
his experience to help others facing epilepsy and the charities that do 
such important work as we research and try to find a cure for this 
terrible disease.
  Since John enjoys hot-air ballooning so much and could not bear to 
miss the annual International Balloon Fiesta, he decided to ride his 
bike the 1,600 miles from Dayton, Ohio to the event in Albuquerque. 
Along the way, John has raised more than $11,000 for several epilepsy 
charities and inspired others battling epilepsy. John's ride has given 
people with epilepsy a platform on which they can finally talk about 
their disease and the discrimination they face on a daily basis. That 
is perhaps the most important legacy of this magnificent achievement.
  I want to congratulate John and wish him well in all he does. I am so 
proud of his courage and determination, and I am honored to have known 
him. It is an honor to serve him in the U.S. Senate.

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