[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 1130]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING JUSTIN GREGORICH

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MICHAEL BILIRAKIS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 4, 2004

  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Justin Gregorich, 
one of my young constituents who recently saved someone's life.
  Justin was walking home from football practice last week when he 
witnessed an elderly man lose control of his car, drive into a 
retention pond, and begin sinking in the snake and alligator-filled 
water. Justin instantly dove into the water, and with the help of two 
other passers by, pulled the man from his submerged car to safety.
  Justin's two helpers, Michael McBayer and Shawn Brady, live in 
Chairman Bill Young's congressional district, which borders mine. 
Justin credited Mr. McBayer and Mr. Brady for saving the car's driver, 
though he said his only thought when he saw the crash was that ``I 
gotta save that guy.'' I think that Justin's mother, Alice, must have 
taught her son to be humble and help others, which is exactly what he 
did that day. She certainly deserves credit for raising such an 
outstanding young man.
  Mr. Speaker, Justin, Michael, and Shawn are heroes in the truest 
sense of the word. They disregarded their own safety for that of 
another. Their selfless actions should remind us all of the fundamental 
goodness and humanity that so many of our countrymen exhibit everyday. 
I urge our colleagues to join me in thanking them for their actions and 
for reminding us of the spirit of compassion and courage which makes 
our country great.

                          ____________________