Chris Coons: “I come to the floor today my heart heavy with a challenging task, which is to convey the remarkable, the special, the…”

“I come to the floor today my heart heavy with a challenging task, which is to convey the remarkable, the special, the powerful spirit of a friend who passed 3 weeks ago in a tragic accident in India. Matt Haley was a remarkable Delawarean. Matt Haley was a gifted and accomplished chef and entrepreneur. Matt Haley was someone who touched so many lives in my home State of Delaware. In 2012 Matt won the Delaware Restaurant Association's Cornerstone Award, a lifetime achievement award recognizing restaurateurs who dedicate their lives to humanitarian efforts. Matt owned eight different restaurants all across the beach region so well known to folks here in Washington. Matt owned restaurants in Rehoboth Beach, Lewes, Ocean View, Bethany Beach, Fenwick Island, and was involved in dozens of other business enterprises in other States. In 2014 Matt had the best year he ever had in terms of the reach and scope of his potential and his vision and his recognition by his profession. He won the National Restaurant Association Cornerstone Humanitarian Award. I was thrilled to be able to join in that celebration here in Washington. He won the International Association of Culinary Professionals Humanitarian Award. He won the James Beard Humanitarian Award in a remarkable celebration in New York. He won all three major recognitions, major awards from the restaurant and culinary industry--the triple crown, as it were.…”