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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The family and friends of U.S. Army Specialist Alex |
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Daniel Gonzalez of Mission suffered a grievous loss with his death |
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in Iraq on May 6, 2008, at the age of 21; and |
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WHEREAS, Specialist Gonzalez was assigned to the 43rd Combat |
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Engineer Company, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, and based at Fort |
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Hood; he was mortally wounded when his vehicle came under attack in |
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Mosul; and |
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WHEREAS, Part of a large, close-knit family, Alex Gonzalez |
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was born on January 27, 1987, in McAllen and lived most of his life |
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in Mission; he graduated in 2005 from Mission High School, where he |
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played football and baseball; and |
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WHEREAS, From the time he was a small child, Specialist |
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Gonzalez longed to follow in the footsteps of his father, a former |
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paratrooper; after enlisting in the army, he became an explosives |
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engineer, and while in Iraq he routinely volunteered for dangerous |
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missions; he found great satisfaction in military service and was |
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planning to reenlist; and |
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WHEREAS, This esteemed young man delighted in joking and |
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telling stories; the only son among six children, he was protective |
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of his younger sisters, his cousins, and his friends, and always |
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quick to lend a helping hand to anyone in need; and |
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WHEREAS, Among the military medals conferred on Specialist |
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Gonzalez were the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart; in addition, the |
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127th graduating class of the Mission Police Academy presented an |
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award to his parents in recognition of his heroic service; and |
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WHEREAS, Specialist Gonzalez performed his difficult mission |
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in Iraq with exemplary dedication and professionalism; his |
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unfaltering devotion to duty, his fellow soldiers, and this country |
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reflected the highest ideals of the United States Army, and those |
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who were fortunate enough to share in his love and affection will |
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forever hold him close in their hearts; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Specialist Alex |
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Daniel Gonzalez and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his |
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family: to his parents, Idalia and Alfredo Gonzalez; to his |
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biological parents, Brenda Ojeda and Urbano Gonzalez, Jr.; to his |
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sisters, Casey Mejia and Emily, Audrey, Arleen, and April Gonzalez; |
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to his paternal grandparents, Urbano Gonzalez, Sr., and Emma Maria |
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Santana; to his maternal grandparents, Antonio and Ramona |
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Rodriguez; and to his many other relatives and friends; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Alex |
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Gonzalez. |