H.R. No. 2371
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The friends and family of McCarley Jean Rutledge,
who passed away on November 24, 2021, at the age of 27, will forever
remember her as a passionate champion for good in this world; and
WHEREAS, Carley Rutledge was born on May 10, 1994, to John and
Laura Rutledge in Fort Worth, and her childhood was spent exploring
the woods behind her house, performing skits with her siblings and
friends, and participating in family game nights that inevitably
descended into giddy chaos; and
WHEREAS, Although Ms. Rutledge's teenage years were
interrupted by a stage 4 Ewing Sarcoma diagnosis, she continued to
live her teenage life by going to concerts and parties and inviting
friends to the teen room at the hospital to hang out; she had a knack
for taking what scraps life gave her and fashioning them into
beautiful moments; her habit of bringing decorations and home
comforts along on her many hospital stays inspired Carley's Closet,
a service that donates similar items to young adult cancer patients
in 13 hospitals across Texas; and
WHEREAS, Two years into her cancer journey, Ms. Rutledge
enrolled in college at the University of Colorado Boulder and
blazed a trail as the first Ewing patient to receive a promising
cancer vaccine that other Ewing patients benefited from; she grew
from a bright-eyed college girl into a woman full of opinions,
interests, and passion, and she immersed herself in politics,
cooking, gardening, running, and travel; and
WHEREAS, After eight years, her cancer returned in her spine,
and following two debilitating surgeries, she spent months learning
to walk again; she continued excelling at her job and created a
popular podcast with her best friend from high school, Monica
Moser, called TX Forever; she went scuba diving in the Blue Hole in
Belize and ran a 10K just months after regaining her ability to
walk; her time was also spent in Red River, New Mexico, with her
family, often curled in an armchair with a huge book in her lap; she
giggled and played with her beloved niece and nephews, and she drove
from Denver to Central Texas to celebrate her grandmother's
birthday, all while undergoing chemo treatments; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Rutledge was an icon of hope in the cancer
community; she shared her story on behalf of the Rutledge Cancer
Foundation and encouraged countless other patients; furthermore,
she testified movingly before both the Colorado and Texas state
legislatures to advocate for insurance coverage of fertility
preservation treatments for young adult cancer patients; and
WHEREAS, Carley Rutledge lived each moment to the fullest and
met every obstacle with grace and strength, and she left an
indelible mark on all those who were fortunate enough to share in
the richness of her life; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of McCarley Jean
Rutledge and extend heartfelt sympathy to her parents, John and
Laura Rutledge, and to her many other relatives and friends; and, be
it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for her family and that when the Texas House of
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Carley
Rutledge.
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______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 2371 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the House on May 28, 2023.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House