[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 14349]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         WILLIAM ``BOO'' BARTON

  (Mr. HENSARLING asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HENSARLING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute a young man from 
Groesbeck, Texas, William ``Boo'' Barton, a 17-year-old high school 
junior with an incredible athletic gift, an incredible story and an 
incredibly big heart, as big as the State of Texas. Last September 
while playing for the Groesbeck Goats football team, Boo Barton 
suffered a tragic injury on the field. Shortly afterwards, doctors were 
forced to amputate his left leg 4 inches below the knee. The doctors 
told Boo with luck he would be able to walk, but Boo and his track 
coach, Phil LaFountaine, had bigger dreams. Three months after being 
fitted with a prosthetic leg, with family, friends and teammates 
looking on, Boo Barton defied all the odds by running the 100-meter 
race at the Groesbeck Goat relays. His time: 14.06. Some may say that 
was not the winning time that day, but I and everyone in the stands 
know better.
  Mr. Speaker, Boo Barton is an inspiring example to all of us. He 
shows us with the power of positive thinking and persistence through 
adversity, you can still dream bold dreams in America.

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