[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Page 16343]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 HONORING THE LIFE OF JEFFREY ERLANGER

 Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, today I pay tribute to the memory 
of Jeff Erlanger, an extraordinary person who was a prominent member of 
the Madison community, a family friend, and an inspiration to me and 
everyone lucky enough to know him.
  To understand what a positive force Jeff was in people's lives, I 
will quote something he said in an ad he did for Wisconsin Public 
Television a few years ago: ``It doesn't matter what I can't do--what 
matters is what I can do.'' Those are words that everyone should live 
by, but Jeff, who was a quadriplegic, really did live by them. He never 
dwelled on the many challenges he faced; instead, he focused on helping 
others, making tremendous contributions of time and effort to a wide 
array of organizations.
  He served on the Economic Development Commission, as chairman of the 
Commission on People with Disabilities, and as chairman of the board of 
the Community Living Alliance, as well as many other positions. Among 
his accomplishments was his successful push for the accessible taxicab 
service that exists in Madison today. He also ran for the Madison City 
Council in 2002. Jeff's commitment to public service says volumes about 
the kind of person he was and why his passing is such a loss for the 
Madison community.
  Jeff used his personal experience to inspire others, visiting 
classrooms to talk about living with a disability, and appearing on 
``Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood'' at the age of 10. He became good friends 
with Fred Rogers, speaking both at Rogers' induction to the Television 
Academy Hall of Fame and at a memorial service when Rogers passed away 
in 2003.
  Throughout his adulthood, he continued to make life-changing 
connections with people he met. Incredibly, he saved the life of a 
Boston woman he was talking with online, calling both AOL and the 
Boston police after she told him she had cut her wrists but wouldn't 
tell him what her last name was or where she lived. They tracked the 
woman down and rushed her to an emergency room. It is just one amazing 
story from a truly amazing life.
  I am proud to say that Jeff was an intern in my office. He was also a 
dear friend to members of my family. He meant so much to so many 
people, both those he knew, those he inspired through his appearances, 
and those he helped through his life of community service. I am deeply 
saddened by his passing, and my thoughts are with his parents, his 
family, and his friends. Jeff left behind a wonderful legacy, of hope, 
enthusiasm, and caring, and that is something everyone who knew him can 
cherish.

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