SR 129 — Celebrating the life of Priit Juho Vesilind.

SESSION INTRODUCEDENROLLED 24108240D I SENATE RESOLUTION NO.

129 NE Offered March 4, 2024 Celebrating the life of Priit Juho Vesili––––––––––Vesilind. T Patron––Roem R –––––––––– WHEREAS, Priit Juho Vesilind, an honorable veteran, distinguished writer and journalist, andO beloved member of the Manassas community, died on November 3, 2023;

andN DAgreed WHEREAS,to aby nativethe ofSenate, EstoniaMarch born6, during2024 WorldR WarO II,WHEREAS, Priit VesilindJuho andVesilind, hisan familyhonorable escapedveteran, theirdistinguished homelandwriter onand thejournalist, eve of the Soviet re-occupation, and hebeloved spentmember fourof yearsthe asManassas acommunity, preschoolerdied inon aNovember Beaver,3, Pennsylvania;2023;

and Geislingen,L Germany,their beforehomeland hison familythe ultimatelyeve settledof in the townCofSoviet WHEREAS,re-occupation, Priitand Vesilindhe earnedspent afour bachelor'syears degreeas ina Englishpreschooler from Colgate University in 196E,a thenL serveddisplaced thepersons countrycamp within honorGeislingen, andGermany, distinctionbefore ashis afamily memberultimately ofsettled in the Unitedtown Statesof NavyE forBeaver, fourPennsylvania; years during the Vietnam War;

yearsand later,WHEREAS, hePriit alsoVesilind earned a master'sbachelor's degree in communicationsEnglish D photography from SyracuseColgate University within support1964, fromD theyears Servicemen'sduring Readjustmentthe ActVietnam ofWar; 1944;

years later, he also earned a master's degree in communicationsfour photography from Syracuse University with support from the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944;

andts for what was then the Atlanta Journal and by serving as outdoor editoreditoS WHEREAS, Priit Vesilind joined National Geographic in 1973 and settled in the Commonwealth, R devoting three decades to the magazine and ultimately serving as the publication's adventure and 9 expeditions editor and its European specialist;

and SR WHEREAS, Priit Vesilind's work with National Geographic, including approximately 40 features1 stories and many articles, took him around the world several times and to the bottom of the oce9nocean as he researched and crafted compelling stories that would educate and enchant legions of readers;

and WHEREAS, Priit Vesilind daringly reported from inside Soviet Estonia during the later years of the Cold War, offering Americans a deeper understanding of the Baltic States at a pivotal moment inofin thenotably history,on whilehand cultivatingreporting afrom senseGermany during the emotional dismantling of hopethe andBerlin optimismWall amongin his1989, fellowusing Estonians;a sledge hammer to help knock it down;

heand wasWHEREAS, thenPriit notablyVesilind onwrote handa reportingnumber fromof Germanybooks duringover thehis emotionalcareer, dismantlingincluding ofOn Assignment U.S.A., which detailed the Berlinadventures Wallof inNational 1989,Geographic usingwriters aand sledgephotographers, hammeras towell helpas knockLost itand down;The Singing Revolution:

andHow WHEREAS,Culture PriitSaved Vesilind wrote a numberNation, of books over his career, including On Assignment U.S.A., which detailedchronicled theEstonia's adventuresjourney oftoar NationalEra Geographicindependence writersfrom and photographers, as well as Lost Gold of the Republic:Soviet Union;

Theand RemarkableWHEREAS, Questin for2003, Priit Vesilind enjoyed the Greatestdistinct Shipwreckhonor Treasureof receiving the Order of the CivilWhite WarStar, EraThird 35Class, independencefrom Lennart Meri, the first president of Estonia following its departure from the Soviet Union;Union, in recognition of his contributions to the liberation of the country;

and Savedyears, aRima; Nation, which chronicled Estonia's journey to 36 WHEREAS, in 2003, Priit Vesilind enjoyed the distinct honor of receiving the Order of the White 37 Star, Third Class, from Lennart Meri, the first president of Estonia following its departure from the / 38 Soviet Union, in recognition of his contributions to the liberation of the country;

and 39 WHEREAS, Priit Vesilind will be fondly remembered and dearly missed by his loving wife of 57 years, Rima;

now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Senate of Virginia hereby note with great sadness the loss of Priit Juho Vesilind, a celebrated journalist and cherished member of the Manassas community who touchedhotouched countlesscouRESOLVED livesFURTHER, throughThat histhe writingClerk andof goodthe deeds;Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Priit Juho Vesilind as an expression of the Senate of Virginia's respect for his memory.

and, be it RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Priit Juho Vesilind as an expression of the Senate of Virginia's respect for his memory.