E2234 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks October 3, 2008 

with all receiving the Bronze Star Medal from 

Captain Giannaris. 

Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues 

join me in recognizing the extraordinary bravery and devotion to their country of the courageous men of OSS Greek Operations Goup II 

on the occasion of their receiving the Bronze 

Star Medal for Valor. 

f 

TYRIK JOHNSON 

HON. TRAVIS W. CHILDERS OF MISSISSIPPI

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Friday, October 3, 2008 

Mr. CHILDERS. Madam Speaker, I rise 

today to recognize the life of young Tyrik 

Johnson of Coldwater, Mississippi. At the tender age of four, Tyrik was taken from this 

earth in a tragic accident on September 26, 

2008. Tyrik was a bright, fearless little boy and 

he will be missed by all who knew him in his 

short life. The loss of someone so young is a 

cruel tragedy and his community will be the 

lesser for his passing. Tyrik is survived by his 

loving mother, Adrienne Johnson, and his caring great-grandparents, Marshall and Jean 

Johnson, all of Coldwater, Mississippi. I ask 

my colleagues to join me in extending condolences to Tyrik’s family and keeping all of his 

loved ones in our thoughts and prayers. 

f 

REMARKS IN HONOR OF CAPTAIN 

ROBERT VALLEJO II, TEXAS NATIONAL GUARD 

HON. KAY GRANGER OF TEXAS

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Friday, October 3, 2008 

Ms. GRANGER. Madam Speaker, I rise 

today to honor the courage of a brave and 

dedicated hero of the state of Texas and of 

our Nation. 

Captain Robert Vallejo II was a soldier in 

the Texas National Guard and a true American hero. Robert gave his life in the service 

of his country on September 18, 2008, when 

the helicopter he was co-piloting went down 

near Tallil, Iraq. 

Assigned to 2nd Battalion, 149th Aviation, 

36th Combat Aviation Brigade as a pilot, Captain Vallejo did his part during a time of war, 

a fact that speaks volumes about his character 

and patriotism. 

Robert graduated from Brewer High School 

in 1998 and graduated from Texas Christian 

University as part of the Reserve Officer Training Corps in 2005. After graduation from college, he attended flight school at Fort Rucker, 

Alabama. Becoming a pilot fulfilled his longtime dream of flying. Becoming a military pilot 

fulfilled his desire to, as his mother put it, ‘‘be 

a part of history and leave his mark.’’ 

He served as a soldier for nine years and 

was on his first overseas tour when he died. 

Shortly after Robert’s death, his family 

learned that the baby his wife is expecting in 

January would be a boy. Captain Vallejo’s son 

will be named Robert Cale Vallejo III and will 

learn of his father through his family and 

friends, who described Robert as a kind, outgoing, and intelligent man with a wonderful 

sense of humor. 

Our thoughts and prayers are with Captain 

Vallejo’s wife, sisters, parents, and all of his 

family and friends. His community and nation 

honor his memory and we are grateful for his 

faithful and distinguished service to America. 

Captain Vallejo will not be forgotten. His 

memory lives on through his family and the 

legacy of selfless service that he so bravely 

imprinted on our hearts. 

f 

TRIBUTE TO HORTENSIA ‘‘GUERA’’ 

ABRIL 

HON. JOE BACA OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Friday, October 3, 2008 

Mr. BACA. Madam Speaker, I stand here 

today to honor a loving mother, supportive 

wife, adoring grandmother and doting greatgrandmother, Hortensia ‘‘Guera’’ Abril. 

Born in Nuevo Leon, Monterey, Mexico, she 

eventually moved to Colton, California where 

she grew up to become a longstanding, influential member of the community. A fulfilled 

homemaker thanks to her care, compassion 

and love for her family, Guera also proudly belonged to Colton’s San Salvador Catholic 

Church. In addition to supporting her husband, 

Ray ‘‘Sonny’’ Abril, who served on the Colton 

School Board for many years, she too played 

an active role in the community as a longtime 

PTA member, well-respected and loved by all. 

In addition to being survived by her husband 

Sonny of 53 years, her memory will be carried 

on by her three sons, Nick, Michael (Stella) 

and Dominic; her three daughters, Melinda 

Medina (Mike), Becky Gonzales (Reuben) and 

Nellie Carners (Joe); and one brother, 

Norberto Gasca. Guera will be sorely missed 

by 19 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren 

and many nieces, nephews and friends as 

well. 

As a longtime friend of Ray’s, I would like to 

express my greatest sympathies for his family’s loss. She meant everything in the world to 

him and will truly be missed. Let us take a 

moment to remember this great woman and 

her admirable dedication to instilling positive 

change and leading an exemplarily life, one 

whose footsteps we all hope to follow. The 

thoughts and prayers of my wife Barbara, my 

family and I are with his family at this time. 

God Bless Hortensia ‘‘Guera’’ Abril for love 

of country and mankind. 

f 

THE 2008 ANGELS IN ADOPTION 

HON. NANCY E. BOYDA OF KANSAS

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Friday, October 3, 2008 

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas. Madam Speaker, 

This year, I have the great pleasure of seeing 

one of the finest constituents of Second District of Kansas honored as an Angel in Adoption. This award was given by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption, of which I am 

proud to be a member. The story of the Second District’s Angel in Adoption, Michelle 

Reed, is a story of hard work, commitment, 

and humility. It is a story that I am proud to 

share today. 

In addition to adopting two children from 

Kazakhstan, Michelle has become an advocate for international adoption by facilitating 

support groups and by serving on the board of 

Two Hearts for Hope. Michelle is truly an 

Angel in Adoption. 

Michelle’s story begins in 2004 when a 

cousin and a friend announced that they were 

adopting children from Korea and China. To 

support her loved ones, she began looking 

into the process. As Michelle says, ‘‘My husband and I had not discussed adopting. We 

had two children. My son, Jonas, was just 

starting high school in the fall and our daughter, Libby, was in middle school. The pictures 

of the children available for adoption were 

endless on the Internet. I began to think that 

we could give a home—a family—to one of 

these children.’’ 

In March of 2004, the Reeds signed an 

agency contract to adopt their son Jess, who 

was 3 at the time, from Kazakhstan. They 

traveled to Kazakhstan in November 2004 and 

lived there for 61⁄2 weeks. In May 2005, they 

signed a contract to return for a little girl that 

they met on their first trip who was also 3 

years old. They left in October, 2005 and returned home in December with a new daughter, Jsera. 

When Michelle returned from her adoption 

journey in Kazakhstan, she started working to 

help other families. ‘‘After our first adoption, 

we both became passionate about helping 

those that were thinking of adoption.’’ She is 

now the moderator of three Internet groups 

that provide support for families that are in the 

process of adopting internationally or integration assistance for those that have already 

adopted. They try to facilitate heritage knowledge, for example, by teaching parents to 

cook their child’s native foods. Michelle and 

her family also hosted an exchange student 

from Kazakhstan this year who taught them so 

much about their children’s heritage. 

Michelle is also a board member of the 

newly formed organization, Two Hearts for 

Hope, which raises donations to send supplies 

to orphanages in Kazakhstan. Most of the 

supplies she works so hard to find are those 

that many of us take for granted, like shoes 

and warm clothing. ‘‘The facilities aren’t perfect—there are broken windows and sometimes there’s no heat. Because it’s just south 

of Siberia, the need for warm clothing is magnified.’’ 

When speaking about her visits to 

Kazakhstan she said, ‘‘Once you leave those 

other children behind, you are not allowed to 

forget them.’’ The love, warmth, faith and passion for helping others that Michelle posses 

shines through when you meet her. I am 

pleased to say that once you meet Michelle, 

you are not allowed to forget her or the joy 

she has brought to others. 

f 

PERSONAL EXPLANATION 

HON. EARL POMEROY OF NORTH DAKOTA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Friday, October 3, 2008 

Mr. POMEROY. Madam Speaker, on September 29, 2008, I missed rollcall vote No. 

673. Had I been present, I would have voted 

in the following manner: 

Rollcall No. 673 ‘‘nay.’’ 


smartinez on PROD1PC64 with REMARKS