| |
| |
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
|
WHEREAS, James Moya, a member of the Shamrock Volunteer Fire |
|
|
Department, was part of a coalition of first responders who risked |
|
|
their lives to battle the deadly wildfires that swept across the |
|
|
Texas Panhandle in March 2017; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, An employee of Wheeler County Precinct 3, James Moya |
|
|
has served as a volunteer firefighter with Shamrock VFD for more |
|
|
than 10 years; on March 23, 2017, he and a number of other area |
|
|
firefighters and county employees, including his father, Frank |
|
|
Moya, were called to help contain a wildfire that had broken out |
|
|
near Shamrock; while using a road grader to create a firebreak, he |
|
|
was trapped inside his machine when it stalled and the wind suddenly |
|
|
shifted, sending the flames in his direction; the fire soon |
|
|
engulfed the grader, where the heat became so intense that the |
|
|
windows shattered; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Fighting for his life, James Moya managed to radio |
|
|
for help; his message was heard by his father, who was driving a |
|
|
road grader of his own and who immediately went to help; the elder |
|
|
Mr. Moya was able to move his son to safety, and James was |
|
|
ultimately transported by helicopter to a medical center in |
|
|
Lubbock; he suffered burns to more than 30 percent of his body and |
|
|
spent 60 days in the burn unit before returning to Shamrock, where |
|
|
he was welcomed home by a grateful community; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Although Mr. Moya is still recovering from his |
|
|
injuries, he draws strength from the support of a loving family that |
|
|
includes his father, his mother, Melanie Moya, his sister, Shonda, |
|
|
his wife, Alisha, and his three young sons; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, James Moya's exceptional valor and commitment to |
|
|
serving others have made him a source of immense pride to his family |
|
|
and a hero to his community, and he has earned the respect and |
|
|
admiration of all his fellow Texans; now, therefore, be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
|
|
Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby honor James Moya for his |
|
|
courage and sacrifice during the Texas Panhandle wildfire crisis of |
|
|
2017 and extend to him sincere best wishes for the future; and, be |
|
|
it further |
|
|
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|
|
prepared for Mr. Moya as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
|
|
House of Representatives. |