[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 12464]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   HONORING BLAKE McELMAN AND JAY CAVANAUGH OF MAINE FOR COURAGEOUS 
                                ACTIONS

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                          HON. CHELLIE PINGREE

                                of maine

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 25, 2013

  Ms. PINGREE of Maine. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize two 
young men in my district whose courageous actions saved the lives of 
two fishermen this past New Year's Eve.
  While attending a family gathering on Montsweag Bay in Woolwich, 
Maine, late that evening, Blake McElman and Jay Cavanaugh, both 21, 
heard yells coming from the water. Looking out, they saw that the 
incoming tide had quickly surrounded two men who had been digging for 
worms on mudflats far from shore. Standing on a rock, the men would 
quickly become immersed in the frigid water.
  With time of the essence, McElman and Cavanaugh decided to attempt a 
rescue themselves. Hauling a canoe to open water over ice and snow, 
they paddled several hundred yards offshore and recovered the men, both 
showing early signs of hypothermia. Once ashore, they fed and warmed 
the men, who ultimately escaped from the incident unscathed.
  This would not have been the outcome without the quick and courageous 
actions of McElman and Cavanaugh. Most likely they saved those men's 
lives that night. I'm relieved and thankful that all four men survived 
this very dangerous situation.
  Mr. Speaker, many people in Maine make their living in jobs that 
involve braving the elements and even risking their lives in 
unforgiving and swiftly changing environments. But what also 
characterizes our state is that our people look after each other and 
are willing to go a long way to help one another. McElman and Cavanaugh 
certainly showed that to be true, and then some. I'm very proud to have 
them in my district.

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