On the recordApril 7, 2014
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share some words written by Anne Vasquez about the tragic loss of a teen from my Miami high school: Shannon Melendi and I became fast friends. Tears still sting my eyes when I think of the final chapters of Shannon's short life. At 19, a sophomore at Emory, she disappeared on a Saturday afternoon lunch break from her job at a softball field in suburban Atlanta. The year was 1994. It would be another painful 12 years before the suspect confessed. Shannon's body was never found. No funeral, no official moment to mourn. The last 20 years have unfolded in surreal fashion. A smart 19-year-old with quick wit, the president of her high school senior class, an aspiring lawyer, a champion debater, the daughter of present and caring parents--it can happen to anyone, anywhere. Indeed. Thank you, Anne. Shannon, we'll always remember you. ____________________
