| |
| |
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
| |
|
|
WHEREAS, In recognition of a heroic act he performed over 44 |
|
|
years ago, former firefighter Ray Wells was honored when the mayor |
|
|
of Waco declared February 9, 2015, as Ray Wells Day at a ceremony at |
|
|
Waco Fire Station No. 1; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, During the early 1970s, at the age of 26, Mr. Wells |
|
|
was a member of the Waco Fire Department for a year and a half; at |
|
|
eight o'clock in the morning of November 11, 1970, he came across a |
|
|
house trailer with smoke pouring out of it, and he heard a woman |
|
|
screaming that her daughters, ages one and three years old, were in |
|
|
the trailer; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Although he was off duty at the time, Mr. Wells |
|
|
rushed through the trailer's back door and crawled on his hands and |
|
|
knees through the smoke and flames until he found the two children |
|
|
lying unconscious on the floor of a back bedroom; he pulled them |
|
|
from the trailer and discovered that they weren't breathing, so he |
|
|
helped perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on each child; they |
|
|
were rushed in the back of a patrol car to a local hospital, where |
|
|
the girls were treated for smoke inhalation and minor burns and |
|
|
released; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Now 71 years old and living in Temple, Mr. Wells was |
|
|
reunited at the event in Waco with the two women he rescued more |
|
|
than four decades ago; now in their 40s, Geni Burkhart and Tamara |
|
|
Vetere traveled from their homes in Denver in order to surprise him |
|
|
at the ceremony and thank him at long last for saving their lives; |
|
|
and |
|
|
WHEREAS, On that fateful day more than 44 years ago, Ray Wells |
|
|
demonstrated tremendous courage and compassion in a desperate |
|
|
situation, giving two women the greatest gift of all, a second |
|
|
chance at life; now, therefore, be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
|
|
Legislature hereby honor Ray Wells for his remarkable heroism and |
|
|
extend to him sincere best wishes for continued happiness; and, be |
|
|
it further |
|
|
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|
|
prepared for Mr. Wells as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
|
|
House of Representatives. |
| |
|
|
Anderson of McLennan |
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
|
Speaker of the House |
| |
|
|
I certify that H.R. No. 1972 was adopted by the House on May |
|
|
21, 2015, by a non-record vote. |
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
|
Chief Clerk of the House |
| |