By Munoz                                               H.R. No. 450
       74R8509 PAN-D
                                  R E S O L U T I O N
    1-1        WHEREAS, The Texas House of Representatives is proud to honor
    1-2  U.S. Customs Officer Stephen Jenkins, whose heroic actions on
    1-3  November 4, 1994, saved the life of Amada Pena and the child she
    1-4  has since delivered; and
    1-5        WHEREAS, On that day, three vehicles were being boarded on
    1-6  the Los Ebanos Ferry that would carry them across the Rio Grande to
    1-7  Mexico; suddenly, the first vehicle, a truck carrying four
    1-8  passengers, plunged off the front of the ferry into 11 feet of
    1-9  water; and
   1-10        WHEREAS, On hearing a commotion at the waterfront, Officer
   1-11  Jenkins saw the submerged truck and immediately alerted the Hidalgo
   1-12  County Sheriff's Department before rushing to the scene, where he
   1-13  heard some bystanders say that a child was still trapped in the
   1-14  truck; and
   1-15        WHEREAS, Acting quickly, he jumped into the river, unaware
   1-16  that there were actually two occupants left trapped in the
   1-17  submerged vehicle; its driver, Isidro Pena Lara and his companion,
   1-18  Maria de la Luz Lara, had already been pulled to safety on the
   1-19  banks of the river; and
   1-20        WHEREAS, Though unable to see clearly in the murky water,
   1-21  Officer Jenkins realized the passenger side window of the truck was
   1-22  open and went in looking for the boy; he surfaced for air and,
   1-23  shortly thereafter, another man was able to open the driver's side
   1-24  door of the truck, at which point Mrs. Pena and her son, Daniel,
    2-1  began to rise to the surface; and
    2-2        WHEREAS, Officer Jenkins grabbed Mrs. Pena, who was eight
    2-3  months pregnant at the time, and pulled her up to the ferry where
    2-4  she received cardiopulmonary resuscitation while another person
    2-5  pulled her son from the water; Mrs. Pena was then rushed to Mission
    2-6  Hospital, where she gave birth to a healthy baby boy by emergency
    2-7  caesarean section; and
    2-8        WHEREAS, Though the tragic accident claimed the life of
    2-9  Daniel Pena, Officer Jenkins's prompt intervention undoubtedly
   2-10  saved the life of Amada Pena and her unborn child; Officer Jenkins
   2-11  has since been presented the U.S. Customs Service Meritorious Award
   2-12  for Valor and the alert response and remarkable bravery exhibited
   2-13  by this outstanding public servant indeed merit our very highest
   2-14  praise and recognition as well; now, therefore, be it
   2-15        RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 74th Texas
   2-16  Legislature hereby commend U.S. Customs Officer Stephen Jenkins on
   2-17  his exceptional act of heroism in an emergency; and, be it further
   2-18        RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
   2-19  prepared for Officer Jenkins as an expression of highest regard by
   2-20  the Texas House of Representatives.