[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 9285-9286]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               RECOGNIZING DIEGO ARENCON ON FATHER'S DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 14, 2013

  Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I rise today 
with a heavy heart. Father's Day is a time for families to come 
together, a time to honor the role of fathers in our lives, and a time 
to count our blessings. But for many Americans, this Sunday will be the 
first Father's Day where they won't be able to hug their dad tight. And 
for fathers who have lost a child in the past year, this will be the 
first Father's Day where they can't look into their son's or daughter's 
eyes and tell them how much joy they bring them every day.
  This Father's Day, I would like to honor one of my constituents, 
Diego Arencon, who has sadly lost both his father and his son in the 
past year. A dedicated public servant, Diego is a member of the 
Albuquerque Fire Department and is President of the Albuquerque Area 
Fire Fighters, IAFF Local 244. He has selflessly risked his life to 
keep the residents of Albuquerque safe. He is an effective advocate for 
his fellow firefighters, an accomplished jazz drummer, and I'm proud to 
be counted among those who call Diego a friend.
  Diego and his continued commitment to his wife, Lupe, and to his 
surviving children, Santiago, Loliana and Diego, is an inspiration to 
all who know him.
  In early January of this year, Diego's father, Jose ``Pelete'' 
Arencon, passed away. A prominent gypsy flamenco singer, Jose was known 
for his compelling voice. He began singing as a child, and became a 
professional singer as a teenager. Born in Spain, he moved to 
Albuquerque with his wife in 1975, bringing the traditional roots of 
flamenco to the Duke City.
  Diego's son, Nikolas Ventura-Arencon, was only 14 when he tragically 
passed away the day before Thanksgiving last year. Even at his young 
age, Nikolas had ambitions to serve his community and his country just 
like his father. Nikolas was a member of the Los Alamos High School 
ROTC and had dreams of attending the New Mexico Military Institute to 
become a Marine. He also wanted to follow in his father's footsteps by 
becoming a firefighter. Within their ranks, New Mexico firefighters say 
Nikolas Ventura-Arencon was ``one of us.''

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