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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Uvalde native James Ortiz has proven himself a man |
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of monumental courage and determination for his efforts to recover |
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from a serious accident he suffered in June 2006; and |
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WHEREAS, A premier distance runner at the high school and |
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collegiate level, James Ortiz has shown the same competitive spirit |
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in recuperating from his injuries, and his resolve in facing these |
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trials is an inspiration to all who know his story; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Ortiz first took up running after watching the |
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track and cross-country performances of his older brother, Reuben, |
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who competed for Uvalde High School and, later, for Texas State |
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University; when he was old enough, James also joined the running |
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teams at Uvalde High and demonstrated his outstanding athleticism |
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by setting the Amateur Athletic Union national record in the |
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2,000-meter steeplechase and helping the Coyotes to win three |
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district titles; and |
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WHEREAS, Following in his brother's footsteps, James Ortiz |
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enrolled at Texas State University in 2002 and continued to hone his |
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athletic talents; during his junior season in 2005, he enjoyed |
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great success, winning a number of races, earning All-Southland |
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Conference honors, and setting the TSU school record in the |
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1,500-meter event; though he sat out the 2006 season due to |
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tendonitis, Mr. Ortiz was looking forward to returning to |
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competition in 2007 and bettering his previous times; and |
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WHEREAS, Those plans changed on June 5, 2006, when his right |
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leg was crushed in a truck-bicycle accident in San Marcos and had to |
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be amputated below the knee; confined to the hospital for a month |
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and subjected to numerous surgeries, the young man who had once sped |
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away from his rivals now faced the prospect that he might never run |
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again; and |
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WHEREAS, In recovery, as in his races, James Ortiz didn't |
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give up, and he received significant help from his loved ones; his |
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brother, Reuben, left his job as a high school track coach in order |
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to assist James; his girlfriend Tenley Determan, a fellow student |
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and runner at Texas State, provided key daily support; and his |
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mother, Pura Elia Ortiz, offered her loving guidance; Mr. Ortiz was |
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further buoyed by an avalanche of letters and e-mail offering |
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encouragement, much of it from total strangers who had learned of |
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the accident through news and Internet stories; and |
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WHEREAS, This valiant competitor was fitted with a prosthetic |
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leg in August, and he soon set his sights on a new goal--to once |
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again run for TSU; he continues to train with the track team and |
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performs other intense physical therapy with the intent of |
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regaining his running ability and reclaiming his place on the |
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track; and |
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WHEREAS, The true measure of an individual can be gauged by |
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the manner in which he or she responds to life-changing events; the |
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bravery and dedication exhibited by James Ortiz have defined him as |
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a young man of immense strength and character, and his unwavering |
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dedication to personal improvement is indicative of a bright and |
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promising future still to come; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor James Ortiz for his determined recovery |
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efforts and extend to him best wishes for continued success toward |
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achieving his goals; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. Ortiz as an expression of high regard from the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |