On the recordJune 16, 2011
Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a brave fallen hero from my district who was killed in Iraq last week. Specialist Emilio Campo, a remarkable young man from Madelia, Minnesota, gave his life for this Nation. He joined the National Guard while he was still in high school, and his classmates remember him as a kind, fun-loving young man who had aspirations to attend college and to go into the medical field. He served his country bravely as an Army medic; but when he would come home to questions about his exciting and dangerous work, he would always shrug them off, shy away from the attention, and explain that he was just doing his job. Earlier in the week, the Mankato Free Press reported that, in the 2009 graduation section of the Madelia Times Messenger, Emilio's favorite quote was listed as: ``Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today.'' By all accounts, Emilio did exactly that. Tomorrow, his family, his friends and his community will gather together to honor his memory and to celebrate his life. We will remember his sacrifice to this Nation and how he died and gave the ultimate sacrifice; but we will also remember the kind of person he was--full of life, kind-hearted, a good friend, and a good son. ____________________
