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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The State of Texas lost a remarkable champion for |
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the autism community with the passing of Maverick Levertt |
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Crawford III of San Antonio on August 23, 2024, at the age of 28; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Born in San Antonio on April 14, 1996, Maverick |
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Crawford was the son of Vernita Wheeler and Maverick Crawford Sr.; |
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he was highly intelligent and possessed an amazing memory, and he |
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graduated with honors from Brooks Academy of Science and |
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Engineering; although he was diagnosed with severe autism spectrum |
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disorder and suffered from a number of other health issues, he |
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defied expectations and earned his associate's degree from |
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St. Philip's College; he went on to win the College of Public Policy |
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Most Outstanding Student Award at The University of Texas at San |
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Antonio, where he completed his bachelor's degree cum laude in |
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criminal justice and public administration; he received a master's |
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degree in social work from UT Arlington; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Crawford interned at the San Antonio State |
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Hospital as a high school student and worked at Texas Roadhouse and |
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Target; later, he was employed at Best Buy and the Tower of the |
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Americas and interned with U.S. Pretrial Services; he was dedicated |
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to making a positive difference in the lives of others and |
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encouraging them to celebrate their own uniqueness; he served as a |
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mentor to Lanier High School students and volunteered with children |
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at UTSA's autism center; moreover, he assisted the National |
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Alliance on Mental Illness Greater San Antonio in fighting the |
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stigma against seeking care; at the state level, he served on the |
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Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities; he made many valuable |
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contributions in the council's policy discussions, and his fellow |
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members greatly valued his kindness and friendship; he wrote a |
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memoir, Overcoming the Odds, and he loved to take walks while |
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listening to old-school music, especially the Bill Withers song |
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"Lovely Day" and Luther Vandross's "Superstar"; and |
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WHEREAS, Although Maverick Crawford's life ended far too |
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soon, he inspired innumerable people through his courage and |
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compassion, and he will forever hold a special place in their |
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hearts; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Maverick Levertt |
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Crawford III and extend sincere condolences to the members of his |
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family: to his father, Maverick Levertt Crawford Sr.; to his |
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mother, Vernita Marie Wheeler; to his aunts, Jeffrey Ann Wheeler |
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and Cynthia Yvonne Wheeler; to his siblings, Quentin Davon Wheeler, |
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Brittany Monique Crawford, and Shaneka Deshay Bruno; and to his |
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many other relatives and friends; and, be it 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 Maverick |
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Crawford. |