Vigil for Garibay

Deepa Bharath

Lucia Flores’ mind was racing like the fighter jet she dreams of

flying some day.

Flores stood outside St. Joachim Catholic Church on Orange Avenue,

her face wearing a solemn expression and her arms folded across her

chest.

Quietly, the 17-year-old Air Force enlistee watched U.S. Marines

carry the silver casket bearing her cousin Jose Angel Garibay into

the church for a vigil and rosary service. Flores, who enlisted in

January, leaves next week for Texas, from where she will likely go to

Iraq.

Marine Cpl. Jose Garibay, 21, was the first of two casualties from

Orange County reported in the ongoing war with Iraq. The Newport

Harbor High graduate and six others were killed March 23 near

Nasiriyah, Iraq, in a bloody battle after an ambush by enemy troops.

He joined the Marine Corps when he was 18 years old.

On Thursday night, as friends, family and the community took up

every seat and standing space in the church to pray for the fallen

Marine, Flores stood outside.

“I’m not thinking about next week,” she said. “I’m not thinking

about anything. Just him.”

Another cousin, fellow Marine Christian Garibay, escorted Jose’s

mother, Simona Garibay, down the aisle. Christian Garibay had

returned last week from Iraq, Flores said.

Patriotism and pride runs in the family, Lucia’s sister, Helen,

said.

“We have four in the family who are enlisted,” she said. “It’s

their choice, of course, but it leaves us, the rest of the family,

worried. Very worried.”

Family and friends paid their respects to Jose Garibay Thursday

afternoon at the Bell Broadway Mortuary. Patriotism was the

underlying theme of the ceremonies.

Family members wore pins that read “Remember Our Hero -- Jose

Angel Garibay.” Red, white and blue balloons and yellow bows adorned

the church entrance and the mortuary where Jose Garibay’s casket was

placed.

Cousin Adriana Garibay said she “did not know how to react.”

“You don’t know what to say,” she said. “It seems so sudden. There

are so many things between us that were left unsaid. We thought we’re

in the same city, we’re gonna get married, have kids, and our kids

will grow up together as a family. But none of that will happen now.”

Lyn Faulkner, a colleague of Simona Garibay at College Hospital in

Costa Mesa, said she has heard the proud mother talk about her son

quite frequently. Jose Garibay worked at the hospital in the

nutrition services department for a year, she said.

“Simona will always remember her son as a cheerful, happy little

boy that he was,” Faulkner said, choking up. “I’m grateful to him and

many others like him who put their lives in danger so we can live

free.”

* DEEPA BHARATH covers public safety and courts. She may be

reached at (949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at [email protected].