Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-3) issued the statement below regarding the passing of his longtime legislative staffer, Marisa Wittebort, who died yesterday at age 35 following a four-year battle with lung cancer:
“It is hard to find the words to adequately describe Marisa Wittebort. A Louisville native and fellow Atherton alum, Marisa was smart as hell and knowledgeable on almost every issue under the sun. She was full of joy and had an infectious, uninhibited laugh that will continue to ring in my head. She had as much kindness and compassion contained within her as anyone I’ve encountered in my years on Earth. For nearly a decade, she met with thousands of constituents and advocacy groups on my behalf. She guided me through months and months of negotiations as my immigration staffer during Gang of Eight talks. And she ultimately served as my Senior Legislative Advisor before leaving my office to pursue a Graduate degree in London.
“But she offered to come back and worked remotely as the rare global congressional staffer. She wrote official correspondence, legislative memos, and anything else that was asked of her. While completing her degree and continuing her work for my office, she also faced down a 2015 diagnosis that no person, let alone a 30-year old non-smoker, ever should: Stage 4 Lung Cancer.
“There’s no underestimating the evil that cancer can bring, how it can steal the very best among us, alter lives in an instant, and leave its terrible mark on all who encounter it. But Marisa wouldn’t let it take her that easily. She decided to use its force for good. She worked to connect others battling her rare form of the disease around the world, and helped found The ROS1ders Project, the first-ever patient driven research study into the genetic mutation that caused her lung cancer. Just a month ago, the American Lung Association in Kentucky held an event where they honored Marisa for her advocacy work and named her a LUNG FORCE Hero for her dedication to defeating this disease. I was honored to be there by her side, awed by her strength, and inspired by her words. I pledge to answer her call in the fight for increased funding to research—and eventually defeat—this terrible disease. That work will not go unfinished.
“But in this moment, I grieve for my friend and share in the devastating heartbreak felt by her family and loved ones, and by her extended family on the Yarmuth staff. I will be forever thankful for Marisa’s work as a loyal and trusted advisor, but it was her friendship that I valued most and will miss the most. Thank you, Marisa, for giving me, our staff, and my family the gift of having known you. We are all better for it.”
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