SAN MATEO -- Beginning at 10 a.m. today, U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier will preside over the renaming of a post office in this small peninsula city after her former boss and mentor, Congressman Leo J. Ryan.

But as she does, the newly minted congresswoman will undoubtedly reflect back on the horrible massacre that occurred 30 years ago Tuesday at the Guyana compound of the Rev. Jim Jones and his People's Temple cult.

"This anniversary is particularly poignant because I have now taken the seat (Leo Ryan) once held. The incident has changed my life in so many ways and given me the strength to face some of the tough industry interests and not be fearful because I have looked death in the eye," Speier said in a recent media interview.

In 1978 Jackie Speier was just a young legal counselor to Congressman Leo Ryan. She and the congressman and a small party flew to the compound to check on allegations that the formerly San Francisco-based Jones was holding his American followers against their will.

After touring the compound with inconclusive evidence, Ryan's party was boarding their plane when they were caught under a hail of gunfire by Jones' followers. Ryan and five others were immediately killed.

Speier herself was shot and wounded multiple times and laid on the tarmac for 22 hours, playing dead so she wouldn't draw further fire, before a rescue party arrived.

Now, 30 years later, Speier, after a lengthy and successful career as a state lawmaker, won a special election to Congress last spring replacing the late Tom Lantos. She won reelection to the CA-12 post by a wide margin earlier this month.