Brooklyn, N.Y. – Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke released the following statement on the passing of three members of the Bethesda French Seventh-day Adventist Church who were killed when a tractor trailer crashed into their van in Wawarsing, New York. The driver, Guepson Gue of Brooklyn, and passenger Mario Esteverne Sr. of North Elmont, New York, were also injured in the crash, and both men remain in critical but stable condition at Westchester Medical Center.

“Along with the members of the Bethesda French Seventh-day Adventist Church and the entire community of faith in Brooklyn, I want to share my deepest condolences with the families of  Miguel St. Luis of Brooklyn, Ricadeau Anantua of Freeport, New York, and Garry Edouard of Wyandanch, New York, who have now been returned to God. We cannot as humans being always understand the methods of our God. We cannot in this world always understand the purpose of the events that occur in our lives. But we know through our faith in God that such a purpose exists, that God has a plan for Miguel, Ricadeau, and Garry, as God has a plan for each of us. We ask God only for the ability to believe, to protect our faith until such time as has been described in Revelations: ‘He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.’ Let us pray for the full recovery of Guepson Gue and Mario Esteverne Sr. On behalf of the people of the Ninth Congressional District of New York, I pray that the families of Miguel St. Luis, Ricadeau Anantua, and Garry Edouard might find comfort in their faith and the certainty that each of these men has been restored to the Kingdom of Heaven.

Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke is a member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce in the House of Representatives, a member of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, and the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, as well as the Committee on Ethics and the Committee of Small Business. She represents many neighborhoods in central and southern Brooklyn, NY which include Brownsville, Crown Heights, East Flatbush, Flatbush, Gerritsen Beach, Madison, Midwood, parts of Park Slope and Flatlands, Prospect Heights, Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, Sheepshead Bay, and Windsor Terrace.