Formatting necessary for an accurate reading of this text may be shown by tags (e.g., <DELETED> or <BOLD>) or may be missing from this TXT display. For complete and accurate display of this text, see the PDF.
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E314]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING BOY SCOUT ADAM PIETRAS
______
HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH
of new jersey
in the house of representatives
Thursday, March 14, 2019
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I rise today to call
attention to the true story of Adam Pietras, a Boy Scout from my home
town of Hamilton, N.J. in the Fourth Congressional District.
Adam's remarkable courage--without any concern for his own personal
safety--and his immediate and decisive response action literally helped
save the life of his sister.
This Saturday, March 16, 2019, Adam will be honored at a Court of
Honor by his fellow scouts of Boy Scout Troop 87, members from the
Veterans of Foreign War who host Troop 87, friends, and family. We will
be proud and humble to present him with a U.S. flag, flown over the
U.S. Capitol in his honor.
Madam Speaker, Adam was only 10, when he acted without regard to his
own safety as he fought off a loose Bullmastiff dog that was charging
to attack his younger sister, Rachel, then age 7, in the family's
backyard in 2015. Though Adam sustained severe injuries from the
powerful dog, his actions enabled his sister to escape and his brother,
Tyler, to run for help. Truly, Adam and Tyler's teamwork to protect
their little sister prevented what could have been a tragedy. Adam was
rushed to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital--Hamilton. He lost a
lot of blood and needed 200 stitches and months to recover.
Adam's exceptional actions went largely unreported in the news and
were not well known outside his immediate family and community. That
changed when he was a guest of the Sunshine Foundation Mercer County
Chapter's 2018 Operation Dreamlift that takes children to Disney World.
Trentonian reporter L.A. Parker happened to be on that flight, met Adam
and heard Adam's story. In a column detailing the dog attack and Adam's
actions, L.A. Parker--my fellow Trenton State College alumnus, quoted
Adam as saying ``Yes, I was afraid really afraid. But I had to save my
sister.''
Adam is a student at Reynolds Middle School in Hamilton, N.J. I've
had the pleasure to meet Adam's father, Peter Pietras, who with his
wife, Lisa Pitoniak-Pietras, and family and friends, are immensely
proud of Adam. Adam, whose outstanding love for his sister shows he
puts other people first, has a bright future.
Adam was honored by Hamilton Mayor Kelly Yaede with a proclamation as
an example of a model citizen, and by the Boy Scouts of America with
its highest national award for lifesaving and meritorious action, the
Honor Medal With Crossed Palms. Given only for outstanding and unusual
acts that demonstrate unusual heroism, skill, or bravery and reflect
Scouting ideals, the medal is only presented to Scouts who have
``demonstrated unusual heroism and extraordinary skill or
resourcefulness in saving or attempting to save life at extreme risk to
self.'' That sounds like Adam to me.
Today it is my honor to make Adam's heroism and extraordinary act a
permanent part of the Congressional Record.
In an age of fictional movie action heroes and comic book
superheroes, this Saturday a real-life action hero will be the star. If
Adam were in the military our nation would be looking to bestow one of
its highest medals for his valor. Well done, Adam, well done.
____________________