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78S10853 MDM-D

By:  Rose                                                         H.R. No. 156



R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, Matt Standridge of San Marcos has joined the elite 
ranks of those who have met the challenges of Mount Everest, and for 
his notable accomplishment he is truly deserving of special 
recognition; and
	WHEREAS, Paralyzed from the waist down since a 1997 
motorcycle accident, the former Houstonian was invited to 
participate in the Team Everest '03 expedition to Nepal; the trip 
was organized by the Coalition of Texans with Disabilities to help 
change the public's perception of the capabilities of individuals 
with disabilities; and
	WHEREAS, Mr. Standridge raised more than $6,000 for his share 
of expenses before embarking on a training regimen of an improved 
diet and regular workouts at a local facility, followed by an hour 
or two each night pushing his wheelchair throughout the hilly 
Southwest Texas State University campus; he left Austin on March 
15, 2003, arriving in Kathmandu, Nepal, two days later and at Lukla 
on March 19; his 30-mile journey from Lukla to the Mount Everest 
base camp at 17,500 feet took three weeks of painstaking effort on a 
primitive trail and has refocused the life of the 24-year-old; and
	WHEREAS, He lives independently with his English bulldog, 
Tyson, and is employed in management with the San Marcos Wal-Mart 
Super Store; Mr. Standridge earned his GED and plans to pursue a 
degree at Southwest Texas State University to become a high school 
teacher, and his remarkable experience in the Himalayas has sparked 
his enthusiasm about the future; and
	WHEREAS, Matt Standridge has demonstrated the virtues of 
determination, strength, and perseverance, and it is indeed a 
pleasure to join in honoring this impressive young Texan at this 
time; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 78th Texas 
Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby congratulate Matt 
Standridge for successfully reaching the Mount Everest base camp 
and extend to him sincere best wishes for happiness and fulfillment 
in the years to come; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 
prepared for Mr. Standridge as an expression of high regard by the 
Texas House of Representatives.