HONORING THE LIFE OF STEVE FORREST

On 2026-09-15, Representative Kat Cammack (R-FL-3) delivered a floor speech titled "HONORING THE LIFE OF STEVE FORREST" in the House.

HONORING THE LIFE OF STEVE FORREST

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 145 (Tuesday, September 15, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 145 (Tuesday, September 15, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E920] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING THE LIFE OF STEVE FORREST ______ HON. KAT CAMMACK of florida in the house of representatives Tuesday, September 15, 2026 Mrs. CAMMACK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Steve Forrest, longtime owner of Bagelicious Deli and Bakery in Ocala, Florida, who passed away on July 26. Steve was Ocala through and through. Steve graduated from Forest High School and attended the College of Central Florida. No matter where his career took him, Ocala was home. In 2002, Steve found himself out of work and waiting tables. He heard that a small bagel shop on Southwest 27th Avenue was for sale. He did not have much money, but he took what he had and bought it. He made a bet that paid off for more than two decades. Every weekday, Steve was in the kitchen at 3:15 in the morning making bagels by hand. The soups, sides, and bagels were all made from scratch. And when customers walked through the door, Steve knew many of them by name and even remembered their usual orders. He once said there was nothing better than looking into his dining room and seeing someone smile while eating a sandwich he had made. That was Steve's measure of success. When COVID shut down his dining room and cut his revenue in half, Steve adapted. He switched to curbside service and fought to keep every one of his employees working. Bagelicious became more than a restaurant. It became a gathering place. Steve treated customers like family, mentored his employees, supported our local service members, and gave his time to causes throughout Marion County. Steve's wife, children, parents, and the entire Bagelicious family are in my prayers. Ocala lost a good man. But Steve's legacy lives on in the community he served and the countless lives he touched. May he rest in peace. ____________________