[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 14]
[Senate]
[Pages 19220-19221]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO JACOB'S TREE

  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, I rise today to extend my personal 
blessing this holiday season to the family of Jacob Akin of Somerset, 
Kentucky. This year, the town of Somerset has graciously chosen to 
honor the Akin family by accepting their donation of a 20-foot cherry 
spruce tree to be displayed in the town's Fountain Square as the county 
Christmas tree. More important, however, is the solemn but heart-
warming story of the tree's origin, and the inspiration it brings to 
the people of the community.
  The tree, known as ``Jacob's Tree,'' was planted in remembrance of 
Jacob Akin, who was tragically killed in a terrible accident on 
December 6, 1994. Five-year-old Jacob was playing with his older 
brother, Abraham, in a house when a chimney unexpectedly collapsed on 
top of him. Thus, the holiday season each year is especially burdensome 
for his family, as it serves as a constant reminder of the horrific 
accident that took place 17 years ago.
  A year after his death, his family decided to plant a tree to honor 
young Jacob. Over the years, the tree has helped bring comfort and 
peace to the family. ``We decided to put up the tree in memory of my 
son,'' Jacob's mother, Rebecca Buis, says. ``I felt like as the tree 
grew, I could keep up with the years and somehow see how my son might 
have grown. It's kind of a reminder, and it helps with the grieving 
process to plant something in memory of someone you love.''
  Almost two decades later, Jacob's spirit remains ever-present in the 
magnificent 20-foot cherry spruce tree that Rebecca hopes will bring a 
joyful light to the community on Fountain Square. ``Over the years, it 
just grew and grew,'' she says. ``It's a beautiful, well-rounded tree 
and would make a wonderful Christmas tree.''
  On December 3, Jacob's Tree was scheduled to be lit for the first 
time in Fountain Square in a special tree-lighting ceremony during this 
year's annual Christmas parade. In the spirit of the season, Jacob's 
family hopes that the community will come together around the tree and 
share in its joy. ``Christmas is a time of giving,'' Rebecca said.
  The story of Jacob's Tree and the selflessness of the Akin family is 
truly inspirational. I would like to extend my personal blessing to 
Jacob's mother, Rebecca Buis, his father, David Akin, and his brother, 
Abraham Akin, this holiday season. And I ask my Senate colleagues to 
join me in wishing the family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New 
Year. It is my hope that the tree brings them comfort, and that it 
shine especially bright in honor of young Jacob.
  The Commonwealth Journal, a Somerset-area publication, recently 
published an article telling the story of Jacob's Tree. I ask unanimous 
consent that the full article be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the article was ordered to be printed in 
the Record as follows:

       [From the Commonwealth Journal, Nov. 25, 2011]

            `Jacob's Tree' Will Warm the Spirit This Season

                           (By Chris Harris)

       The Christmas season is seen as a time of miracles, a time 
     of redemption for mankind.
       This year, one of Somerset's proudest symbols of the 
     Christmas tradition will be its own miracle of sorts--a 
     chance to redeem joy and light out of the clouds of tragedy.
       The Christmas tree in the town's Fountain Square is 
     scheduled to be lit in a special ceremony on Saturday, 
     December 3, as is the annual custom.
       This year's tree comes from the yard of Rebecca Buis, known 
     to local bank customers as a branch manager and loan officer 
     at First & Farmers National Bank in Somerset.
       Anyone who has driven down Denham Street lately has 
     probably noticed the towering cherry spruce standing out with 
     its bold green hue, even as the trees around it have shed 
     their leaves and stand bare and bland.
       The tree was planted around the holiday season of 1995--one 
     year after a horrific accident that changed Buis's life 
     forever.
       On December 6, 1994, Jacob Akin, Buis's 5-year-old son, was 
     killed in what his mother can only call a ``freak accident.''
       Jacob and his brother Abraham, who was 10 at the time, were 
     playing in a house on Newton Street in Ferguson that their 
     father was in the process of razing.
       ``(The father, David Akin) did construction work,'' said 
     Buis. ``This wasn't anything that was new to (the children). 
     They were used to playing around that kind of stuff.''
       This time, however, was different.
       After Abraham exited the structure to ask his father a 
     question, a chimney crumbled and collapsed on top of young 
     Jacob.
       A parent's worst nightmare had come to pass--and during the 
     holiday season meant to be a happy time for families.
       The memories remain painful to this day.
       ``They couldn't find my son underneath the bricks,'' 
     recalled Buis, who still finds herself overcome with emotion 
     when talking about the incident. ``They had to pull them off 
     brick by brick until they found him.''
       According to then-county coroner Alan Stringer, Jacob died 
     of multiple skull fractures as a result of the toppled 
     bricks. Buis noted that Jacob's neck was broken immediately, 
     which meant that death came quickly. This and the fact that 
     Abraham survived provided the only sources of solace in that 
     terrible time.
       ``My worry was that he suffered, and they told me he had 
     not,'' said Buis. `` I'm lucky in the sense that I felt like 
     God could have taken both my boys that day, playing in the 
     house together. I could have lost them both.''
       Still, the holiday season was unalterably affected for Buis 
     and her family.
       ``I wasn't able to focus on Christmas at all,'' said Buis. 
     ``We didn't put up a tree that year.''
       For one thing, Buis felt like she had to stay strong for 
     her other son's sake. The necessity of putting on a brave 
     face took its own toll on the devastated mother.
       ``You have to carry on because you have two children,'' she 
     said. ``Kids grieve differently. It's not an easy thing to 
     deal with; kids don't usually tell you, but they feel 
     responsible. I tried hard not to show grief because I didn't 
     want (Abraham) to feel responsible. Nobody could have done 
     anything. It was a freak accident.''
       Buis recalls Jacob, in kindergarten at Hopkins Elementary 
     at the time, as ``a funny little young man,'' as well as one 
     who was both handsome and intelligent.
       ``He was a very smart young man,'' she said. ``He 
     understood lots of things, I think.''
       The calendar pages turned, and soon enough, it was the 
     Christmas season again. Buis decided it would be appropriate 
     to pay some kind of tribute to Jacob, and decided to plant 
     the household Christmas tree, only about five feet tall at 
     the time, in the ground outside their home.
       ``We decided to put up the tree in memory of my son,'' she 
     said. ``I felt like as the tree grew, I could keep up with 
     the years and somehow see how my son might have grown. Every 
     time I would pull in the driveway, I would see the tree.''
       ``It's kind of a reminder,'' she added. ``It helps with the 
     grieving process to plant something in memory of someone you 
     love.''
       Today, the majestic tree stands about 20 feet tall. It's 
     ``reached its potential,'' as Buis put it, and has 
     ``overgrown the place.''
       As such, Buis decided it might be the perfect time to 
     inquire about donating ``Jacob's Tree,'' as it's called, to 
     use on the Fountain Square as the county's official Christmas 
     tree. County officials happily obliged.
       ``Over the years, it just grew and grew,'' said Buis. ``I'd 
     been thinking for some time about (donating it), and just 
     decided, `You know, it's time to cut the tree down.'''
       Buis said she also took Abraham's feelings into 
     consideration. Now 27, still in Pulaski County working in 
     construction, Abraham ``thinks it's a good idea,'' according 
     to Buis, but she wanted to make sure he was okay with the 
     choice to donate the tree given the effect Jacob's death had 
     on him as well.
       Much as the tree reached its adult size, Jacob would have 
     been 22 years old this year. However, his legacy has managed 
     to live on in other ways as well.
       After Jacob's death, Buis decided to donate his corneas and 
     heart valves to help save the lives of other individuals. 
     ``(Christmas) is a time of giving,'' she said, noting that 
     Jacob's untimely passing was able to give hope to others.
       ``I received letters telling me that one of Jacob's corneas 
     went to a child who was born with a birth defect, and another 
     went to an older man in his 60s with an eye injury from a 
     work accident,'' said Buis. ``His heart valves also went to 
     adults. I didn't realize how important heart valves were to 
     people who need them (until then).''
       ``It's a hard decision to make because you have to make it 
     quickly,'' she added, referring to the decision to donate 
     Jacob's organs. ``You can't think about it for days. You have 
     to know at the time of death, and it's a very hard time.''
       Just as Jacob's body was donated to bring a new light of 
     hope to those in need, his spirit remains in the tree that 
     has now been donated to bring a similarly joyful light to the 
     community.
       ``It's a beautiful tree,'' said Buis. ``It's well-rounded 
     and would make a wonderful Christmas tree.''
       Citizens can see ``Jacob's Tree'' lit for the first time on 
     December 3. The annual Christmas parade, sponsored and 
     organized by the Chamber of Commerce, begins at 5 p.m. with 
     the tree lighting activities set for 7 p.m.

[[Page 19221]]

       As a Chamber Ambassador, Buis is looking forward to the 
     yearly festivities that are so beloved by locals--but 
     especially since she will get to see that special memorial to 
     her son shining in all its glory.
       ``I just hope that (those who see it) will enjoy the tree 
     and that it will be beautifully decorated,'' said Buis. ``I 
     hope that people will get a warm feeling from the tree, and 
     know that it's given in a good spirit.''

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