Rep. Curtis submits statement to Congressional Record to honor President Nelson’s birthday

Utah Rep. John Curtis submitted a statement into the Congressional Record to honor President Russell M. Nelson’s 100th birthday .

President Nelson’s century of life has been marked by his service and leadership, said Curtis in a social media post . “From his pioneering work in heart surgery to his dedication to his faith as President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, President Nelson’s legacy is one of devotion and compassion. Happy Birthday, President Nelson!”

Born on Sept. 9, 1924, President Nelson is the 17th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After graduating from the University of Utah, Nelson went on to perform the first open-heart surgery in Utah on Nov. 9, 1955. On April 7, 1984, he was ordained an apostle and set apart as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. During his service as an apostle, he dedicated several countries including Bulgaria, Croatia and Slovenia for the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

President Nelson also dedicated the renovated Priesthood Restoration Site in Harmony, Pennsylvania. Then, on Jan. 14, 2018, he was set apart and ordained as President of the Church of Jesus Christ. He is a father of 10 and is married to Wendy Nelson. His first wife Dantzel Nelson died Feb. 12, 2005.

The statement submitted to the Congressional Record reads in full:

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge Russell M. Nelson Day in my home state of Utah as well as President M. Nelson’s 100th birthday.

President Russell Marion Nelson was born on September 9, 1924, in Salt Lake City. While a student at the University of Utah, he met and married Dantzel White. They shared nearly sixty years together, raising ten children before Dantzel’s passing in 2005. He later married Wendy L. Watson in April 2006, and together they are grandparents to 57 and great-grandparents to over 100.

President Nelson is an internationally renowned heart surgeon and medical researcher. Dr. Nelson received his B.A. and M.D. degrees from the University of Utah. He served his residency in surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and the University of Minnesota, where, in addition to earning his Ph.D., he served on the research team that developed the heart-lung machine which successfully aided the first human open-heart surgery in 1951.

During the Korean War, he served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps and worked with surgeons focused on improving treatment methods for the wounded. He left with the rank of Captain.

His accolades include the American Heart Association’s Heart of Gold Award and the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement. He has held prestigious positions such as president of the Society for Vascular Surgery and chairman on the Council on Cardiovascular Surgery.

Russell M. Nelson was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 7, 1984. He was called again, as President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 2018. Under his leadership, the church has played a large role in both domestic and international humanitarian aid efforts, with the faith often being among the first groups to respond with food, medical, and other practical aid for those enduring the effects of conflict and natural disaster.

I again thank President Russell M. Nelson for a lifetime of achievement, service, and leadership and invite myself and my colleagues to look to his exemplary behavior as we find ways to better the lives of those we serve as members of Congress.